Mayacamas
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mount Veeder
2019

The producer

Mayacamas Vineyards is a historic winery located near the summit of Mount Veeder in Napa Valley. Established in 1889 by German immigrant John Henry Fisher, the winery has undergone several ownership changes over the years. In 2013, it was acquired by investor Charles Banks in partnership with the Schottenstein family. 
 
The estate spans approximately 475 acres, with vineyards situated at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 feet. The diverse soil profiles include compressed volcanic ash, fractured volcanic cobbles, gravelly loam, and cobbled clay. This unique terroir contributes to the distinctive character of their wines. 
 
Mayacamas is known for its classically styled wines that emphasize restraint, finesse, and longevity. Their portfolio includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay (mainly) among others. The winemaking process involves hand-harvesting grapes, followed by fermentation in a combination of concrete tanks, stainless steel tanks, and oak cooperage. 

The wine

The Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon is a benchmark Napa Valley wine. Grown at elevations between 1,800 and 2,400 feet, the vineyard's volcanic soils and cooler mountain climate contribute to the wine's naturally high acidity and firm tannins. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the grapes are hand-harvested and fermented with native yeasts before aging in a mix of large neutral oak foudres and small French barrels, minimising overt oak influence and preserving the wine’s purity. 

We choose our wines based on a range of criteria (see how we choose our wines) of which critic scores is just one. Rather than simply highlight the best score to promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a 92/100 average critic score or better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add individual critic scores to our website in the future.