▻ Maya Dalla Valle

Let's Talk With

15 Jul

Written By Sarah Kemp

▴ Cory Empting (left) and Will Harlan (right)

In conversation with Maya Dalla Valle –
the second in our series on the next generation.

Episode Summary:-

Elin McCoy talks to Maya Dalla Valle who has just become head winemaker at Dalla Valle Vineyards, widely seen as Napa’s first cult wine. The estate was founded by her parents Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle in 1982 and while their top wine was named after their daughter Maya there was no expectation she would take over. She tells Elin “As soon as I worked my first harvest I was absolutely hooked”. Her mother told her “We don’t hire any intern without an oenology degree and once you come back you can’t leave”. Maya recalls how those two things stuck in her head and how she decided to gain experience by taking a Masters degree in oenology at Cornell University and then went to work in some of the world’s most well-known wineries including Ornellaia (which later led to a new venture with its winemaker Axel Heinz). Further experience followed working as an intern for Michel Rolland in Argentina and then to Latour and Petrus to name a few. A friend told her that if she wanted to be a serious Bordeaux blend winemaker she had to go to work in Bordeaux and when an internship arose at Petrus she leapt at the chance. “No one says no to Petrus” Maya says as she talks about her three years in Bordeaux.

Maya discusses how the different experiences influenced her, and how at Château Latour she learnt about biodynamic farming and precision in the vineyard. After Bordeaux, she returned to the family property and she talks about the balance between respecting her parent’s vision whilst introducing some of her ideas which included the conversion from organic to biodynamic farming. Another big change she made was introducing amphoras which she believes adds extra layers of freshness and energy.

“Heat is our biggest challenge,” Maya tells Elin and explains how the intense peaks of heat last longer than when she was a child but she is optimistic as there is freedom to use tools such as misting systems and the ability to trial shade clothes to protect the grapes. Another challenge is connecting with people as they don’t have a tasting room, and she discusses how now many tastings are more focused on the experience than the tasting, something she is not a fan of.

The question of how to promote Napa to the younger generation and the price is discussed “I think after a certain number and price point it becomes a wine that is just traded and not drunk, and that’s not our goal” Maya says. Later this year she will be launching the inaugural vintage of DVO, the joint venture between Ornellaia and Dalla Valle. Maya discusses how Axel has been a mentor to her and that in normal years he would be visiting the winery three to four times but because of Covid restrictions, she has had to send lab reports and speak regularly about what the taste is like.

While Maya is now in charge of the winemaking her mother Naoko who has run the property since her husband Gustav died continues to run the financial side. Maya reports “She is still there every week on the vineyard walks and always the head of the table sorting grapes at harvest time, it’s for the love of it”. She recalls the vintage she is most sentimental about is the 1992 vintage which was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker. “It was the wine which put the winery on the map and coincided with my father passing away”. Working with her mother is very important to her. “We are very close, generally in synch and respectful of each other. With our family in Japan and Italy we rely on each other. I really love working with her”. The next generation is clearly continuing the vision.

““As soon as I worked my first harvest I was absolutely hooked” ”

— Maya Dalle Valle

Running Order:-

0.00 –11.50

“My mother told me we don’t hire an intern without an oenology degree and once you come back you can’t leave. Those two things stuck in my head”

Maya Dalla Valle talks to Elin McCoy about taking over as head winemaker on her family’s cult estate. She discusses how she didn’t originally see herself working there but after a harvest she was absolutely hooked. Her mother told her if she wanted to work there she needed to be qualified as they didn’t even employ an intern without an oenology degree. She took a Masters in oenology at Cornell University and then got hands on experience, firstly at Ornellaia where she established a great friendship with winemaker Axel Heinz who became her mentor. Further experience came with Michel Rolland Dalla Valle’s consultant at his property in Argentina. When an opportunity arose for an internship at Petrus she jumped at it and spent 3 years in Bordeaux. She discusses the different influences she gained and brought back. From Latour she learnt about biodynamic farming and precision in the vineyard and at Petrus she leant about making decisions based on taste.
11.51 – 20.01

“I think in order to develop your style you have to drink a lot of wine, taste a lot of wine and be open-minded and see a lot of ways wine is made”

Maya discusses how she balances the vision of her parents and her own initiatives. One of her initiatives was introducing biodynamic farming. A trip to Burgundy with her mother helped convince her mother it was a good idea. Another initiative was introducing amphoras which Maya believes brings freshness and energy to the wine. In the late 90s the vineyard needed replanting and she talks how tough it was not to make wine for two years (2003 and 2004 vintage). In 2007 after replanting the vineyard was converted to organic and in 2017 a plan was made to convert the estate to biodynamic. Elin and Maya discuss how biodynamic viticulture it is not that common in Napa but there is much interest in what Maya is doing among her peers.
20.02 –30.57

“Heat is our biggest challenge”

Elin asks Maya what her biggest challenges are. “Heat is our biggest challenge” Maya says. The estate has western facing slopes with marine influence but the heat waves are now more intense. She explains when she was a child the heat would peak between noon and one o’clock, now it lasts until five in the afternoon. On a positive note she explains that they have the ability to experiment with misting systems and making shade clothes to protect the vines. The other challenge is connecting to people as they do not have a tasting room. “It’s becoming more experience orientated in Napa valley, the fancy chacuterie board, which champagne you are serving before the tasting, and less about the wine, that’s not our thing”. Eventually she would like for small groups to be able to visit in the future but everything is regulated by the County.

On the subject of young people turning away from Napa she says “I think Napa is very much a classic region like Bordeaux. When you get into wine as a young person you want something new or off the wall, something your parents never drink. Eventually people always come back to the classics”.
30.58 – 43.12

“It’s about authenticity”

Maya discusses her new venture with Axel Heinz of Ornellaia who has been her mentor, DVO, which is to launched this autumn. Due to Covid restrictions Axel hasn’t been able to visit but the wine has been a true collaboration with her sending through lab reports and reporting back on the tastings while at harvest speaking every day.

Her mother has been running the estate since her father passed away and whilst Maya has taken over as head winemaker her mother is still very involved, running the finances and coming on the weekly vineyard walks. “To share this with your Mum is very special” she confides.

The top wine “Maya” was named after her and as a child she remembers telling her parents that they couldn’t sell “her” wine. She laughs as she recalls she was firmly told it was not her wine! The vintage which she is most sentimental about is the 1992, which coincided with her father passing away and Robert Parker giving them 100 points. “It put us on the map”. Today they continue to be one of California’s most sought-after wines, and the vision to create a great Bordeaux blend is continued by daughter and mother.