2018 - DVO, Dalla Valle and Ornellaia, Napa Valley

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (containing a splash of Cabernet Franc) is a brand-new wine, representing a collaboration between Dalla Valle in Napa Valley and Ornellaia Estate in Tuscany (hence DVO). Deep garnet-purple colored, it is intensely scented of baked plums, boysenberries and Black Forest cake with an emerging perfume of potpourri, Indian spices and forest floor. The full-bodied palate is opulently fruited and plushly textured, delivering bags of floral and spicy nuances with a long, mineral and earth-tinged finish. Draped in flamboyant drama, this is a very different, very exciting new face of Napa Valley! 400 cases were made.

A joint winemaking project between Axel Heinz and Maya Dalle Valle comes with high expectations, and this lives up to promise, with finessed and supremely sleek black liquorice, cocoa bean, Christmas cake spice and concentrated cassis and damson flavours. It has the exuberance and powerful build of the 2018 vintage in Napa, along with a sculpting of fresh herbs, slate and plenty of grip. An impressive first vintage. 75% new oak for ageing, held in bottle for one year before release. The grapes are from sites across Oakville, Mount Veeder and Coombsville.

The debut vintage of a joint venture between Ornellaia of Bolgheri and Dalla Valle of Oakville, Napa Valley. Just 400 cases made. About 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc sourced from Farella and Colinetta vineyards in Coombsville in the south of the valley and Oakville Ranch and Block 7 of Vine Hill Ranch in Oakville. Rich and fragrant on the nose with light, ripe tannins and a certain mintiness. Already quite soft, sweet and approachable. I wonder how it will age? (JR)