TN - 2014 Mayacamas Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon

Mayacamas came to Dallas today, and I was fortunate to participate in a tasting of the 2014s. I did this in my capacity as a consumer joining a number of fellow consumers and fans- this was not an ITB event. For my part, I am very happy to see how things are evolving here.

2014 Mayacamas Vineyards Chardonnay Mt. Veeder

bright light yellow color, lovely rich nose with apples and hints of citrus, on the palate a lively wine with good medium bodied fruit and a good sense of classical restraint, fine finish where the fruit demonstrated greater depth and breadth suggesting great things to come, very modest oak influence to give a bit of spice, an attractive and restrained mid-weight with a certain joyous quality, fun to drink and I think a few years in the cellar will bring good things.

**(*)+, now to 2030

2014 Mayacamas Vineyards Merlot Mt. Veeder

vibrant young purple-red color, plums and spice on the alluring nose, red fruits, on the palate it has a lush side but overall is more restrained and elegant than most of its peers, blueberry notes, velvety, baking spice notes with time, fine length, as we enjoyed it over the course of an hour it really grew on me- a remarkably beautiful wine with all the cuddly appeal of Merlot but some serious breed and structure to make it more than just a pretty drink, chocolate notes offset by hints of edgy minerals, lovely array of spice-kissed fruits, this should age and improve nicely for a few years but is certainly enjoyable now, a classy mid-weight providing a most harmonious experience, I am quite fond of this wine- you have to spend some time with it to fully appreciate all the classic qualities it possesses in addition to being a pure pleasure to drink.

(), now to 2030+

2014 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

deep red-purple color, ripe cassis and cherry on the classically restrained nose, dark spices, on the palate deep cassis notes with hints of cherry and clove, a slight richness to the fruit despite the overall restraint and youth, elegant and with enough appeal one almost forgets the firm structure and tannins, this has all the joyous fruit appeal of a classic California Cabernet but also the restraint and potential longevity of old, it is not a blockbuster in any sense- which is a good thing in my book- but is solid and substantial in a sincere and intimate way, a fine future ahead- in time I envision this being a fine and beautifully nuanced companion to a hearty dinner in the vein of the great classics of Napa and Pauillac.

(****)+, 2025-2050

Thanks!

I had the chance to stop by tasting room in Napa, CA July 4 weekend. I concur on the 2014 Cabernet- medium body, restrained style and seemed like it would age very well.

Nice TNs. I’ve gone through two bottles of that '14 Merlot and am afraid I didn’t take enough time with them. I wasn’t a huge fan, and that’s very probably because I didn’t really take the time to contemplate them much. I found them good, perfectly fine with a nice balance of earthy notes and subdued fruit, but I was left wanting more. Your note makes me wish I hadn’t rushed through them so quickly.

Tom, were these made before or after Mayacamas was sold. I have traditionally liked a good bit the wines from Mayacamas but have been wondering whether they are made any differently now? Thanks.

We also went to the downtown Napa tasting room last month and tried these 3 wines. They were also pouring the 2003 and 2005 Cabernet. My favorite was the 2014 Cab. It had a nice combination of richness and elegance, and I would guess that it will have a long drinking window. Even in its youth it was more balanced than the older Cabs. We really enjoyed the tasting room downtown. Nice location and the people working there were very friendly and knowledgeable.

Ed

That pretty much sums up my initial impression. Even though I generally prefer something more subdued- I have a sort of built in expectation that California Merlot is going to give a very chocolately and more in-your-face kind of first impression. I liked the wine well enough at first, but it was only after a time that I really started to get into it. I suspect a little cellaring will help too- I do not expect more volume necessarily, but certainly some nice gamey and earthy development. Fingers crossed.

The 2014 vintage is post-sale. If memory serves the sale took place in 2013, but this is the vintage where they are claiming that everything has changed- notably a deep cleaning of the cellar to remove what they perceived to be an environment that lent itself to excessive brett in the wines themselves.

They did also note that the Cab was aged in the very old redwood barrels that the winery has used for quite a long time- so those were not discarded in the cellar revamp. I am unsure if the same treatment is given to Merlot and Chardonnay, but neither had a strong oak presence which was very much to my liking.

FWIW- I really am trying to cut back on buying wine at all outside of German Riesling, and actually just yesterday sent another parcel of excess Bordeaux and Italian holdings to auction- but I got 6 packs of the 2014 Mayacamas Cab and Merlot, and put in a request for the 2015s as well. I liked them that much.

Thanks.

I have a few of these in my cellar that I bought at a tasting in 2019. Absolutely loved them.

Was in my favorite local wine shop today and noticed they had a few dusty 2014’s in the rack. $62. I don’t know if been sitting on retail rack for three years or recent arrivals. Any advice on whether to buy something that could have been sitting on a rack for 3 years.

Buy one try it, if it’s good buy the rest.

I venture they’re not recent release.

I tried to buy more years ago and the vintage was out.

Really nice Merlot though with a nice long lifespan.

That’s kinda what I’m thinking. Sometimes the local distributor will find a few orphan bottles in their warehouse and send them to this shop because of their volume. But, given how dusty they are I bet that’s not the case.

I do wish they were still the $50 I paid for them in 2019.

If you mean the 2014 cabernet, I’d buy all three of them in a hot second if they’re $62. Zero concerns about where they’ve been sitting if it’s in a wine shop. That’s a $150 wine these days.

The Merlot.