94 points Vinous

Impeccably fresh, nuanced, and beautifully structured for the vintage, this understated expression is soft, pretty, and highly aromatic today. Bright red cherry fruit, dried mint, cedar, tobacco leaf, and savory earthy notes all grace the palate with exceptional clarity. The aromatics are remarkably expressive, leading into a long, persistent finish that shows “hints of crushed red berry fruit, mint and spice”. Antonio Galloni, May 2022

94 points The Wine Independent

A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc, this deep garnet-colored wine is a little shy at first before opening beautifully in the glass. It reveals pure aromas of cassis, lavender, and crushed rock, nuanced by dried bay leaves, black tapenade, and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is packed with bright red and black fruit layers, supported by “provocative herbs and mineral sparks and a firm, grainy texture”. Lisa Perrotti-Brown, September 2022

91 points Wine Spectator

Displaying a rich, highly focused core, this bottle elegantly layers dark berry and blackberry fruit with complex elements of light mocha, fresh herbs, cedar, and classic cigar box. The palate finishes with remarkable purity and length, framed by a structure that leaves “a long, pure, persistent finish and mildly gripping tannins.” James Laube, November 2014

Cult Wines International Notes:

Dalla Valle Vineyards stands as an absolute, iconic titan of Napa Valley’s elite cult landscape, founded in 1986 by Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle on the sheer hillside benches of Oakville. Perched on a spectacular plateau overlooking the valley floor, the estate is globally revered for pioneering the profound potential of hillside terroirs, crafting estate wines defined by an exotic gravelly minerality and a majestic structural grace. While their proprietary “Maya” cuvée commands monumental headlines, the flagship Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon is an equally brilliant, world-class expression of the estate’s unique geography. Crafted with an elegant blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc, this bottle undergoes a meticulous maturation program in hand-selected French oak to achieve a perfect harmony of intense hillside power and seamless, velvety refinement.

The 2011 growing season in Napa Valley is widely remembered as a grueling, low-yielding test of viticultural endurance, separating the valley’s true masters from the rest. The year was plagued by unseasonably cold, damp spring conditions that delayed budbreak, followed by an unusually cool summer that demanded intense, meticulous canopy management to ensure even ripening. While lower-lying vineyards on the valley floor struggled with moisture and rot, Dalla Valle’s privileged hillside position—elevated 400 feet up on fractured, well-draining red volcanic soils—proved to be an absolute saving grace. Constant, drying breezes off the San Pablo Bay kept the fruit pristine and free of disease, allowing the grapes a slow, extended hangtime to develop incredibly complex phenolics. The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon emerged from this challenging vintage as an elegant, highly successful triumph, marrying a bright, fresh core of cassis and crushed stones with supple, beautifully integrated tannins.