Winemaker Notes
Blend: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2011 is a gorgeous Maya. It is maybe a bit light next to surrounding vintages, but still has plenty of depth and overall intensity. Black cherry, mocha, plum, spice, licorice and scorched earth flesh out nicely. The new oak is maybe a bit pushed for the wine's structure. At the time, Maya was done in mostly new oak, as opposed to about the 75% or so that is more typical today.
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Wine Spectator
Supple and creamy, especially for the vintage, with rich, vivid blackberry, currant, cedar and loamy earth notes. The crushed rock minerality keeps the flavors in check on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2024
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.