78% Cabernet Sauvignon · 22% Cabernet Franc

There’s not a lot I could write about Dalla Valle Vineyards that hasn’t already been written over the past three decades. We were pleased to be introduced to this fabulous estate in the Oakville hills way back in the early 1990s, before the multiple 100-point scores and subsequent mania for their wines made them almost unattainable. A new generation of Dalle Valle led by Naoko and Gustave’s daughter Maya (yes, that Maya), ace winemaker Andy Erickson and (recently deceased) consultant Michel Rolland have secured this iconic property’s legacy and the wines being produced here are, if such a thing were possible, better than ever. Always known for their suave elegance and seamless texture, recent vintages have also shown a transparency that only the world’s best wines can achieve. They are truly brilliant. I think the secret of Dalla Valle’s success (besides the impeccable farming and inspired winemaking, I mean) is the Cabernet Franc they grow on the privileged rocky hillside overlooking the Silverado Trail. I think it’s really some of the best Franc grown in the United States and adds a layer of depth, complexity and polish to the power inherent in the site’s more rugged Cabernet Sauvignon that makes up the majority of the blend. I believe it’s the Franc that makes the legendary Maya cuvee stand out and takes Dalle Valle’s more accessible Collina cuvee far beyond other Napa Valley wines in a similar, more affordable, price point. Sourced from the younger vines of the estate, Collina is meant to show well in its youth, hence the considerable amount of Franc in the blend. And, in the just-released 2023, the first made in the completely renovated winery, that class shows in the wine’s gorgeous mélange of blue and black fruit that forms a core around which swirls the grape’s signature violets, loamy spice and graphite. There’s also hints of espresso, unsweetened chocolate, sweet herbs and a tantalizing whiff of really lovely oak. Open knit, plush and silky, it’s also nice structured and I sure wouldn’t mind finding a bottle or two in the cellar in five or ten years. It’s, in short, another absolutely lovely effort from one of the Napa Valley’s most important estates! We are pleased to be able to offer our modest allocation to you!

Vinous: The 2023 Collina Dalla Valle is fabulous. Aromatic, vibrant and punchy, the 2023 is an especially fine Collina. Crushed flowers, mint, red cherry/plum fruit, mocha, new leather and licorice flesh out in the glass. The 2023 has all the Dalla Valle signatures in a style that offers tons of immediacy and appeal. Floral overtones lift the finish. I would love to own this. Superb. 94 points

Jeb Dunnuck: Based on 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Cabernet Franc and aged 23 months in 50% new French oak, the 2023 Collina offers up juicy, bright Bing cherries, cassis, graphite, and chocolate. It's medium to full-bodied, with beautiful purity, balanced richness, good mid-palate density, and ripe tannins that flow to outstanding length. This is always a beautiful, solid wine that's well worth its going rate and will drink well over the coming 10-15 years. 93-95 points