2019 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Seductive aromas of dark cherries, mulberries, spiced plums, wild herbs and dried spices. Medium to full body with finely grained tannins. Textural and suave with a voluptuous array of berries, cherries and raw cocoa on the palate. Velvety and well-balanced with a focused developing finish. Drink or hold.

95 points jamessuckling.com

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a pretty rich, bombastic wine, especially for Mayacamas. A blast of dark fruit, incense, tobacco, licorice, spice and mocha hits the palate. I would give the 2019 at least a few years in bottle to settle down, as it is quite the powerhouse today. This is an unusually flamboyant wine with plenty of richness and a bit less in the way of subtlety. The opulence of the vintage comes through loud and clear.

97 points Antonio Galloni vinous.com

Moving to the current releases, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly on another level. Cassis, violets, spring flowers, and graphite, as well as a beautiful sense of minerality, all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, fine, polished tannins, fabulous balance, and a great finish.

96 points jebdunnuck.com

Loaded with character and energy, this version reveals heavy notes of zesty sweet bay leaf and sassafras that infuse a core of steeped red currant and mulberry fruit, all carried by bright acidity and iron-laced tannins. The long finish pulls everything together, with the fruit, savory and mineral elements in harmony. Showing an old-school touch, this has a long life ahead. Best from 2025 through 2045.

96 points James Molesworth winespectator.com

Although not without significant challenges, Napa Valley is enjoying a golden era of vintages. For Mayacamas, the 2019 season sits alongside the benchmark years of 2013 and 2016 and is a more than worthy follow-up to the acclaimed 2018 that preceded it—albeit one that produced wines in a very different style. Conditions were cool overall; in fact, 2019 was the sixth coolest vintage in 20 years. A warm end to summer paved the way for healthy crops of ripe, powerful fruit with perfectly mature tannins, fresh acidity and opulent, supple texture. The smaller berries and higher skin-to-juice ratio than the previous year manifest in a little more energy, power and depth than the 2018 release.

Not much has changed by way of production since Bob Travers took control of the Mayacamas estate in the late 1960s. The fruit is handpicked early, often in early September, to preserve natural, altitude-derived acidity. Small amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc are added each year. Fermentations occur predominantly in open-top cement vessels built in the 1950s, again to preserve acidity and vibrant fruit character. Extended aging occurs exclusively in neutral oak—some as old as 100 years—typically for three years, which allows the expression of the vineyard to shine through the powerful fruit profile, while also minimising oxygenation and helping to maintain the tight, powerful tannin structure Mayacamas is so famous for. The 2019 aged for 20 months in large vessels before 14 months in French barrique and a further two years in bottle.