Mayacamas - Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (750ml)
Price: $158.99
| Producer | Mayacamas |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Sku | 67850 |
| Size | 750ml |
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Wine Advocate: 93 Points
Wine Enthusiast
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is floral and perfumed, with delicate hints of mint and sage entwined around redcurrants and cherries. It's medium-bodied but concentrated, with a ripe, velvety texture and a firm, astringent finish. Give it a few years to mellow before pulling a cork.
Only about 10% of this large property on Mount Veeder is planted to vines, just 49.5 acres of vineyards out of 485 total acres. Historically important—the original estate dates back to 1899, and the 1971 Cabernet Sauvignon was included in the famous Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976—Mayacamas has gone through several ownership changes over the centuries. Today, the property is owned by the Ohio-based Schottenstein family (American Eagle Outfitters, among other retail and real-estate holdings).
Winemaking is under the supervision of consultant Andy Erickson and on-site winemaker Braiden Albrecht, with an eye on the estate's classic style, developed by Napa legends Bob Sessions and Bob Travers. The Chardonnay—mostly an old Wente selection planted on Saint George rootstock—sees very little new oak (less than 10%) and never undergoes malolactic fermentation. The Cabernet Sauvignon is picked relatively early by Napa standards, leading to wines that are rarely more than medium-bodied.
The resulting wines are somewhat emblematic of "old" Napa, but as the pendulum of wine style swings back in that direction, perhaps they have been ahead of the curve all along. Despite coming from young vines—the bulk of the vineyards have been replanted since 2013—these are taut, concentrated wines that should reward cellaring, much like their historic predecessors.
As this was my first visit to the estate, not only did I taste the current releases, but also a number of recent past vintages that had never been reviewed here. The wines are not inexpensive but provide a unique window into Napa's history.
