Dalla Valle Collina Red Blend Napa Valley 2020

It is safe to say that Dalla Valle Vineyards has always been and remains one of the most influential and revered wines of the Napa Valley. The winery was founded in 1986 by Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle, and over the last 3 decades they have firmly established themselves as one of the greatest cult wines of all time. Behind Dalla Valle’s treasured and cellar-worthy wines are some of the most celebrated winemakers in the valley including Heidi Barrett, Mia Klein, Philippe Melka, Andy Erickson, and now today, Gustav & Naoko’s daughter, Maya. The vineyards that make up this iconic estate are planted high in the deep, rich, red soils overlooking Oakville, on the eastern hillsides of the Vaca Mountains. Their neighbors include Rudd Estate, Joseph Phelps’s Backus Vineyard, Screaming Eagle, and BOND’s St. Eden Vineyard, and there is no denying that this special corridor of Oakville is destined to create spectacular wines. The convergence of this red clay and gravelly, volcanic soils found throughout the AVA, combined with west-facing, sun exposed vineyards planted on hillsides and a cooling marine influence make for wines with intensely concentrated aromatics, pronounced minerality, and a lively amount of fresh acidity. With a strong sense of place, we see the lush dark fruit character in these wines, with notes of smoke and gravel, complementing the violets, herbs, and sweet tobacco leaves. What blissful wines these are!

Collina, which means “hill” in Italian, was originally produced from the hillside estate’s young vines, but after decades of production, this wine stands all on its own and has earned its placement as the lovely companion to the more serious Dalla Valle Cabernet and Maya.2020 was a remarkable year to make wine. Our team showed tenacity and strength with every obstacle that was presented throughout the year, and the dedication to the craft shows in the 2020 wines. The growing season commenced with dry conditions and a relatively warm spring awakening an early budbreak and rapid growth. Summer slowed with classic cool Napa evenings and warm days. August accelerated ripening leading to an early harvest of beautiful fruit. Collina Dalla Valle 2020 displays classic approachability and freshness from the younger vines on the estate. Comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc in equal parts with a dash of Petit Verdot, the wine reveals layers of floral violet, cedar, pine needles and plush boysenberries reveal themselves with each sip. A seamless texture melds all the aromatics together with a smooth and prolonged finish.