2021 Dalla Valle Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 750 ml

Within Napa Valley, there is no AVA more blessed than Oakville. Within Oakville, there is no location more sought-after than the red-tinged eastern hills—and in those hills, there is no plot more precious than Dalla Valle Vineyards’ 20 planted acres. 

From the winery that causes a shiver of envy and anticipation in collectors and connoisseurs, the 2021 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon expresses that precious terroir—and the acumen of winemaker Maya Dalla Valle, Napa winemaking legend Andy Erickson, and internationally renowned consultant Michel Rolland—perfectly. 

This collectible earned 98 points from both Decanter and Wine Advocate, while Jeb Dunnuck said: “I know all the attention here goes to the smaller production Maya release, but I continue to beat the drums regarding the incredible quality of the classic Cabernet Sauvignon from this brilliant estate.” It’s a bottle that serious Cabernet collectors should be thrilled to have in their cellar.

Dalla Valle’s stature is inversely proportional to the size of the winery, which has just 20 planted acres, in Oakville’s famed eastern hills. The vineyard, tended with the care of a Bordeaux First Growth, has been farmed organically since 2007. As of 2019, biodynamic has been the rule at Dalla Valle. 

The Dalla Valle Cabernet is a bit of a counterpoint to their iconic Maya bottling. Maya (the wine) is named after Maya Dalla Valle, daughter of founders Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle and, since 2021, Dalla Valle’s winemaker, and it relies on a hefty proportion of Cabernet Franc. The 2021 Cabernet flips that script, comprising 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is given freshness and complexity by Dalla Valle’s exquisite Cab Franc. Aged for 24 months, it’s an exquisite Cabernet, one of Napa’s best.