This majestic vintage of Dalla Valle’s flagship blend displays a dense purple color as well as glorious aromas of black and red fruits, smoke, camphor, subtle wood, and exotic spices. After a few years of cellar time, we marveled at the bountiful dark fruit flavors perfectly balanced by ultra-velvety tannins. This brilliantly constructed 2014 is already a joyful experience now (decanting recommended) and should thrill through 2035. We continue to be astounded by the Dalla Valle wines given their opulence, silkiness, purity, and burgeoning complexity. – August 2023

The Winery

In 1992, Robert Parker opined about Dalla Valle
Cabernet: “This tiny producer has burst on the scene with some extraordinary wines.
This exceptionally strong effort clearly merits buying as futures given the limited
production and surprisingly modest prices” in Wine Advocate #81.

For perspective, those “modest” priced bottles originally sold for $40 but now trade at
auction for over $1,000! I recently visited Naoko Dalla Valle at her spectacular property
in the hills of Napa’s legendary Oakville appellation overlooking a cadre of ‘Cult’
Cabernet neighbors including Screaming Eagle, Rudd, etc. Naoko is a charming woman
with a keen sense of the value of personal relationships and terroir in the pursuit of
crafting one of the most celebrated wines in the world.
Naoko and her late husband Gustave Dalla Valle planted their vineyard in the mid1980’s before any so-called ‘Cult’ Cabernets had launched onto the collector scene.

Original winemaker Heidi Barrett shared duties at Dalla Valle and Screaming Eagle in
the early vintages {not a bad way to spend the day in my opinion!}. Today, the
Screaming Eagle connection remains as current winemaker Andy Erickson (crafted the
100 point 2007 Screaming Eagle) works closely with Naoko and world-famous wine
consultant Michel Rolland. Dalla Valle Cabernets have garnered a whopping twelve 98 –
100 point ratings from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, placing them among the most
highly acclaimed Cabernets on Earth over the last 2 decades.