2018 Dalle Valle Cabernet

A healthy dollop of Franc adds freshness to a core of dark red cherry, red plum, mocha, spice and new leather flavors. There is a level purity here that is just remarkable. This is the first vintage that includes a small portion of wine aged in amphora. Maya Dalle Valle seems to have given these wines a touch more vibrancy and detail while retaining the statuesque opulence that is such a house signature. The Cabernet and Maya are once again superb. I find just as much joy and pure pleasure in the entry-level Collina Dalla Valle for more near-term drinking.

Napa Valley is California’s — and America’s — most famous and celebrated wine district. Located north of San Francisco, Napa Valley is most famous for its world-class Cabernets and Chardonnays. The region’s acclaim officially took off following a 1976 tasting in Paris when renowned judges chose a Napa Chardonnay and Cabernet over top French wines made from the same grapes.