DVO - Maya Dalla Valle 2021

Jeb Dunnuck

Not yet bottled, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Las Posadas Cabernet Franc, with the Cabernet Sauvignon coming from Vine Hill, Oakville Ranch, and Collinetta in Coombsville. It has classic 2021 density and power in its full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe black fruits, black olive, bouquet garni, and dark chocolate, and it's rich and powerful, with a great mid-palate and building tannins, all making for a serious, age-worthy wine. I was also able to taste a small sample of the 2022, which showed beautifully, but as it was only a tiny portion of the blend, it's tough to write a review. Nevertheless, if the sample is indicative of the final blend, this will unquestionably be worth your time and money. It's also worth pointing out that 2022 will be the last vintage for collaborator Axel Heinz (previous at Ornellaia) as he moves into his new role as director for Ch teau Lascombes in Bordeaux.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

DVO's 2021 Red Wine reverts to the roughly two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, one-third Cabernet Franc formula that shaped the 2017, but it also includes about 5% Merlot (note: this is quite different from the blends from 2018–2020, which went heavier on Cabernet Sauvignon). Fruit sourcing includes Las Posadas (Howell Mountain), Oakville Ranch and Vine Hill Ranch (Oakville) and a site in Coombsville. The nose is charming and complex, with notes of ripe blueberries and cassis joined by florals and a hint of licorice, while the mouth is full-bodied, plummy and rich. The long, silky finish picks up a hint of dark chocolate, yet it still remains fresh and immensely drinkable.

The Wine Independent

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Wine Spectator

James Suckling

Deep, dark-fruited character with plums, blackberries, chocolate and walnuts. Full-bodied, textural and velvety, with succulence and depth to its fruit. Structured, wide and super refined with a long, encompassing finish. It’s well integrated and balanced with a lively freshness, yet it needs some time. Better after 2027.

The Wine Palate

The 2021 Maya, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It sails out with graceful notes of violets, fresh blackberries, and blackcurrant pastilles giving way to wafts of pencil shavings and underbrush. The full-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance, with fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and fragrant.