2011 Mayacamas

2011 Mayacamas – A perfect 100 pointer from one of Napa’s oldest and most prestigious wineries. Antonio Galloni had done a retrospective tasting of all 2011 Napa and had this to say about the 2011 Mayacamas: 

"The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the truly exceptional wines of the vintage. As I worked through this series of retrospective tastings, I had hoped to find at least one wine like this. A truly epic 2011. When I tasted the Mayacamas Cabernet, I knew I had found it. Deep, potent and massively constituted, the 2011 possesses tremendous richness and pure power, all within the classical framework that is such a Mayacamas signature." (AG100)

What sets them apart? Well, to start, the wines produced here are a stark contrast to the rich, heavily oaked Cabernets common in the valley. Fermentation in cement, rather than new oak barrels, helps preserve acidity and vibrant fruit character. Long term aging in large, neutral oak foudres further allows the vineyard characteristics to shine through, lessens oxygenation, and maintains Mayacamas’s powerful tannic structure.

At the helm is winemaker to the stars, Andy Erickson. From Screaming Eagle to Dalla Valle to Bond, Erickson has had his hand in creating some of the most collected and coveted wines in all of Napa, and the world.

Mayacamas is loved by so many collectors around the world – Even NBA superstar (and wine aficionado) Lebron James has widely proclaimed and publicized his love for the wine over the years, once bringing 60 of his then-teammates from the Cavaliers to the winery in 2017 to celebrate his birthday.

We have both 750mL’s and magnums available today – with ten years in the bottle, these will be fantastic now and will continue to deliver for the next several decades!  

“Mayacamas Vineyards is one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon producers in the history of California. For those who long for great red wines that cellar with conviction and evolve in the course of time into brilliantly complex and compelling wines, Mayacamas Vineyards remains one of the brightest stars in the constellation of California wine. It is arguably the last man standing from the glory days of California’s past.”- John Gilman

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the truly exceptional wines of the vintage. As I worked through this series of retrospective tastings, I had hoped to find at least one wine like this. A truly epic 2011. When I tasted the Mayacamas Cabernet, I knew I had found it. Deep, potent and massively constituted, the 2011 possesses tremendous richness and pure power, all within the classical framework that is such a Mayacamas signature. Dark fruit, lavender crushed rocks, menthol and sage build as this explosive Cabernet shows off its pedigree. The 2011 is the last vintage Bob Travers made at Mayacamas (although it was blended and bottled by the current team). It is very clearly one of the wines of this challenging and misunderstood vintage, as well as a fitting testament to his legacy. -AG100