Professional Ratings
- 100 Points – Wine Advocate (Robert Parker)
- 100 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
- 98 Points – James Suckling
- 98 Points – Vinous
- 96 Points – Wine Spectator
- 95 Points – Decanter
Review
Dalla Valle's flagship Maya is one of Napa Valley's most iconic Bordeaux-style blends. The 2019 vintage is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, sourced from the estate's famed eastern Oakville hillside vineyard. Aromas of blackberry, crème de cassis, kirsch, violet, crushed stone, tobacco, graphite, and dark chocolate unfold into a full-bodied palate layered with boysenberry, black cherry, mocha, iron, and mineral notes. Despite its immense concentration, the wine remains remarkably graceful, with velvety tannins, vibrant freshness, and extraordinary length.
Professional Assessment
Strengths
- One of the highest-rated Napa Valley wines of the 2019 vintage.
- Exceptional harmony between Cabernet Sauvignon power and Cabernet Franc elegance.
- Profound mineral complexity and precision.
- Outstanding aging potential through 2055 and beyond.
Overall Verdict
99/100 — Extraordinary. The 2019 Maya is a modern Napa Valley masterpiece, combining breathtaking purity, finesse, and intensity. It stands among California's greatest collectible wines and should evolve beautifully for decades.
100pts Wine Advocate
As fans know, Maya comes from a very special section of the estate vineyard, situated in the valley's eastern foothills, below Pritchard Hill and in the above the Oakville floor, overlooking Screaming Eagle. The blend is two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Maya slowly unfurls to reveal a firework display of redcurrant preserves, kirsch, boysenberries and wild blueberries, followed by iron ore, red roses, cardamom, fallen leaves and crushed rocks, with a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is stunningly graceful and refined, featuring exhilarating mineral sparks among the red and black fruits, finishing with so much brightness and energy. Breathtaking!
100pts Jeb Dunnuck
One of the finest wines in the vintage is the 2019 Maya Proprietary Red Wine, and red wine doesn’t get any better. The usual blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco, dark chocolate, and crushed stone, which turns more floral, pretty, and complex with time in the glass. Full-bodied on the palate, it marries a rare sense of elegance and finesse with incredible intensity. It’s impossible to resist today yet merits at least 5-7 years of bottle age, and I have no doubt this beauty will still be enjoyable at age 50. Bravo!
98pts James Suckling
The clarity of fruit is so impressive with blackberry and blueberry aromas and so many violets. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and reserved, with very polished, strong tannins that are long and well-formed. There’s freshness and brightness, though. A cool and toned young red.
96pts Wine Spectator
Shows smoldering intensity, with a mix of mulberry, blackberry and black currant preserves that meld steadily with cast iron notes. A late flurry of violet and açaí adds more range, while the mineral aspect stays perfectly in its lane. Very long, with lovely flow.
Winemaker's Notes
Ever the philosophical wine, with every sip the 2019 Maya reveals new layers of complexity and depth, invoking thoughts of a mysterious and intriguing destination. The firmness of the Maya's Cabernet is boosted and lifted by the black olive and dried herbal tones of the Cabernet Franc. Boysenberry, crushed gravel, and violet come to the forefront before revealing deeper layers of the black and blue fruits, lingering through an extended finish but at the same time maintains an ethereal status that dances on the palate.
Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc
History
In 1983, Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle began planting vines on the hillside of Oakville, overlooking Napa valley. Their vineyards produce excellent quality grapes, resulting in wines of great intensity, complexity and balance. Gustav passed away in 1995 and Naoko Dalla Valle continues the legacy of Dalla Valle wines. Dalla Valle Vineyards produces three wines: Maya (55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc), Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Pietre Rosse (100% Sangiovese).
