Mayacamas Winery: Beauty Inside and Out
I will admit it, I first visited the Mayacamas Tasting Room in downtown Napa, CA because of the ratings the Cabernet Sauvignon received from credible reviewers. The wine is also a collaborative effort with one of my favorite winemakers, Andy Erickson. Of course, I had to see for myself. That day, what I found was a great Cabernet with wonderful texture and rich flavors. The wise thing to do was to capitalize on the great find and just buy!
Just recently during a visit to Napa Valley, it was time to visit the winery itself, high up on Mt. Veeder. To say the least, the setting was impressive as well as the wine. Our tasting started off with a ride to the top of the mountain via four-wheeler where we could look out over the valley and vineyards. To the south, the San Pablo Bay was quite visible. This body of water provides cool breezes that allow for longer hang times and retention of acidity. All this nurtures the grapes on the vine. It was a gorgeous setting in which to enjoy a taste of the winery’s luscious 2021 Chardonnay. It was a wonderfully crafted wine with flavors of lemon and nuts, refined and bright.
Cruising back down the mountain, we got more views of vineyards that are true mountainside plantings. The winery and its vines are located on the south facing side of Mt. Veeder at elevations between 1800 and 2200 feet. It is a serene and peaceful setting without other intrusions in the space. On the trip up to the winery, we saw that the winter rains had washed out the road in several places. Be prepared to be careful where the road turns to one lane in places.
Back at the winery, we were afforded a walk through the storage cave to see some of the original barrels still in use today. All very interesting, yet the star of the show was definitely the wine. The standout was the 2018 Cabernet. It was well-crafted to say the least. Rich yet svelte on the pallet, tannins round and soft. Antonio Galloni of Vinous says this about the wine: “Bright floral and spice notes lift the soaring finish as the wine’s inner sweetness gradually emerges over time. The 2018 is super-impressive.” He rated this wine 98 points. The price I paid for this delicious bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon was $150. It is well worth it. This is not the first high scoring wine the winery has delivered. The 2015 was rated 97+ points, and Galloni described the 2016 as “insanely beautiful” and gave it 99 points. Wine Spectator placed this Cabernet on their top 100 Wines in 2019 and 2020. To say the least, this wine is well worth your investment.
To visit either the downtown Napa tasting room or the winery itself – or to purchase wine, go to the Mayacamas Vineyards website.
Enjoy!
