A Vertical Tasting of Mayacamas with Winemaker Braiden Albrecht
Mayacamas is a legendary, blue chip Napa winery perched high on Mt. Veeder — above the fog line, in fact. While the winery is well known for its cabernet and chardonnay releases, it also operates a unique library system that consumers have full access to. Each year, winemaker Braiden Albrecht — who’s been with the operation since 2013 when ownership changed hands — says the winery holds back 100 to 200 cases of wine to be sold 10 or 20 years down the road. That means today you can by the current release cabernet — 2020 — but also a bottle of 2010 or 2000.
The chardonnay program also has a 10-year library program like this, too.
I was fortunate to taste through three cabernets — 2020, 2010, and 2000 — with Albrecht over Zoom and take a deep dive into grape growing and winemaking and Mayacamas. I tasted the two vintages of chardonnay on my own time.
Thoughts follow.
2020 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder – Mayacamas uses minimal new oak in its operation, typically just 5 to 10% per vintage. Aging in wood however is lengthy — an average of 36 months, often in very large casks — which is why 2020 is the current release. This wine is young but showing significantly charm already. Interesting notes of mint atop lots of cherry. The attack is reminiscent of a layered Super Tuscan, lightly herbal and floral to a lesser extent, with elements of pine needles, rosemary, bay leaf, and pea flowers. A touch dusty as the finish arrives, with a few notes of dry earth and powdered charcoal, and a very dry conclusion. Still, there’s plenty of acidity here and some tightly wound tannins. Hold for 5 to 10 years, or decant if drinking today. A / $185
2010 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder – What a contrast vs. the 2020, with a big Mexican chocolate note up top, heavy with cinnamon. Tannin has all but vanished here, leaving behind bright acidity, lightly balsamic at times. What remains on the palate is a brilliant bite of strawberry, surprisingly juicy, and very light on its feet. As the finish builds, the wine takes a turn toward tartness, softening up and making room for familiar secondary aromatics that include pine and rosemary, pushing more toward thyme later on. There’s so much fruit here (but no weighty oak) that you could easily convince yourself this was another varietal altogether. Straightforward and versatile, it’s a rare cabernet you could enjoy in warm weather, watching a summer sunset. Still in its prime, but I’d drink it soon to stave off cork troubles. A- / $300
2000 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon – Tasted from a 375ml bottle (not commercially available in this size). No formal Mt. Veeder designation on the label, but this wine is from the same vineyards as the others. Crumbling, broken cork at opening. Extremely aromatic, the fruit here is still present, but giving way to beautiful florals and, most clearly, a big punch of menthol. The eucalyptus note is quite heady, while the fruit takes on more of an orangey citrus tone amidst the cherries and currants. Time in glass helps bring forward more earth tones as the florals blow off — not quite evoking turned earth but something closer to fragrant underbrush. Balsamic is starting to show as well, but the wine is still manageable, maybe just a few years past peak — and with plenty of time left on its ride. Mind you, this was from a half-bottle. Magnums (all that are available) should still be peaking. A- / $650 (magnum)
2022 Mayacamas Chardonnay Mt. Veeder – Nothing at all not to fall in love with here: This brilliant chardonnay eases the pedal off the oak to let restrained but juicy notes of pears and green apple quickly emerge, tempered by notes of white flowers, jasmine, and a touch of sea salt. Vanilla-laced citrus builds with time in glass and on palate — delicate lemon curd, lime leaf, and orange blossoms making for an elegant companion to the orchard fruit up top. Touches of spice ring the finish — some cinnamon and nutmeg, again with a cleansing sea spray conclusion. It’s hard to imagine a better California chardonnay in current release. A / $65
2022 Mayacamas Chardonnay Mt. Veeder – Clearly oxidizing and on the decline, but at least it has a bit of life left in it. The gently vinegary attack soon recedes to make room for notes of Key lime, white grape, and gooseberry — followed by roasted almonds and a healthy slug of salinity. The spice of the 2022 has faded away here, but there may be an echo of cinnamon lingering somewhere in the experience. Extended airtime tempers the oxidized qualities, but it also mutes the fruit, leaving behind a more mineral-heavy, acidity-driven wine. Thread the needle the best you can. B / $NA
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