2013 Dalla Valle MDV
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The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon MDV, named after Naoko Dalla Valle's daughter, Maya, emerges from the estate's best Cabernet Sauvignon blocks, those that have traditionally been used in the flagship Maya bottling. Over the last year, the MDV has developed into a much more refined wine than it was at the outset. Blood orange, star anise, mint and a host of spice notes give the 2013 a distinct, exotic edge that is impossible to miss. It will be fascinating to see where the MDV goes. Naoko Dalla Valle made a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maya blocks once before, in 1999, for a charity auction lot. The wine was never sold commercially, but when I tasted it a few years ago, its place as one of the greatest wines ever made at the estate was evident. (AG)
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Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon MDV, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maya blocks, is breathtaking. All of the best elements of the property come together in a wine that is both incredibly powerful and finessed. The 2013 simply exudes richness and class, with all of the nobility this site is so famous for. Naoko Dalla Valle has bottled a pure Cabernet from the Maya blocks only once, in 1999, for an auction lot. That wine was never released commercially, but it is still one of the very best wines to come off the property. Winemaker Andy Erickson plans on bottling the 2013 in December, 2015.
About the producer
Dalla Valle Vineyards was founded in 1986 by Naoko and her late husband Gustav Dalla Valle, in Oakville. Initially they had wanted to create a luxury resort, but when they discovered the potential of the site, they changed tack and decided to make wine.