Dalla Valle, Maya, Napa Valley 2016

The 2016 Maya offers another level of depth and density and is a truly special, magical wine. A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Cabernet Franc, it boasts off the chart notes of blackcurrants, Asian spices, lead pencil, chocolate, and incense. These all give way to a massively concentrated, rich, and powerful wine that nevertheless stays oh, so seamless, silky and pure, with a finish that goes on for minutes. Utterly profound in every way, this sensational wine hits every high point you could ever set for a glass of wine. it's one of the top 2-3 wines in this report. Hide bottles for 7-8 years and it will keep for 3-4 decades.

The 2016 Maya Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's a little reserved to begin, soon unfurling to reveal the most incredible array of floral and red fruit layers—kirsch, redcurrant jelly, black raspberries, lilacs, red roses and lavender—with achingly beautiful wafts of cigar box, pencil lead, camphor, cinnamon stick and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied and with fabulous elegance and poise in the mouth, the palate delivers layer upon layer of perfumed black and red fruits with a very firm, finely grained texture and an epically long, mineral-laced finish. Give this knock-out beauty another 5 years in the cellar and drink it over the next 30+.

A ripe and lavish Napa red with currant and dried berry with hints of milk chocolate. Turns to fresh flowers and dry earth. Full body, flavorful with lots of integrity and focus. Flavorful finish. The polish to the tannins and glorious. A blend of 67% cabernet sauvignon and 33% cabernet franc. Drink or hold

The most reticent of the 2016s, Maya is going to need at least a few years in bottle to be at its best, and even that may not be enough. Today, the bright red fruit and soaring aromatics of the Cabernet Franc are especially evident. I have no doubt the 2016 will be spectacular when it opens up, but that is going to take at least a few years. Sweet red fruit, dried flowers, mint, blood orange and cinnamon build into a crescendo of aromas, flavors, and textures.

It is usually Maya that is the more dark-fruited wine at Dalla Valle. In 2016, this flagship blend and the estate Cabernet bottling share a similar fruit profile, making the comparison more about the different textures. Maya skews to the voluptuous side, sitting in the centre of the palate more than the sides. The tannins are substantial and chewy, framing a burly, three-dimensional, everlasting finish. Best to cellar for a decade before broaching.