2015 Mayacamas Chardonnay Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 750 ml

“The Chardonnay is Flat-Out Gorgeous”

In the realm of Napa Valley’s greatest high-elevation Chardonnays, nothing holds a candle to today’s 2015 Mayacamas Chardonnay—it’s a wine that winemakers gravitate to if there’s a bottle open at a party. Little wonder when you consider that five years ago, Andy Erickson was brought in to produce the wines at Mayacamas. Even better when you consider that Erickson’s first gig was with Napa Chardonnay legend, John Kongsgaard at Newton. Andy would go on to work at BOND, Ovid, Arietta, Screaming Eagle, and Dalla Valle, earning his own place in the pantheon of 100-point winemakers. His midas touch is all over this 2015 release, which Antonio Galloni of Vinous rated 95 points, calling it “rich and unctuous,” and “flat-out gorgeous.” We wholeheartedly agree. Broad and robust, balanced by refreshing acidity, richly fruited, with an evolving minerality and an almost preserved lemon-herb quality on its long finish. 50 cases up for grabs.  

Vintage after vintage, at the end of each year, after the dust has settled, the Mayacamas Chardonnay often tops the list as one of our favorites. With the 2015 vintage, that’s bound to be the case again. In our judging panel at out Napa office, Sur Lucero Master Sommelier rarely pauses to gush over a wine. But calling to mind his experience with Mayacamas over the years at The French Laundry and Meadowood, he didn’t hold back. “It has a terrific salinity—these Chardonnays always have a resinous, sappy quality. And I'm finding terrific nerve, minerality and length with an almost preserved lemon-herb property to the finish.”

When Antonio Galloni and Stephen Tanzer joined forces at Vinous, they created the most astute and experienced Chardonnay tasting team in the world. While there are slight disparities in the palates of each critic, both guys share a common approach to ratings: They’re stingy.

In the terrific 2015 vintage on the coast, Tanzer and Galloni rated just a handful of Chardonnays 95 points or more. Topping the list were two from Mark Aubert, at 96 and 97 points. The 2015 Mayacamas finished just a point behind—outpointing Kistler, Kongsgaard—and tying Hyde de Villaine Comandante at 95 points.

Crafted entirely from Mount Veeder grapes hand-harvested off dry-farmed vines planted between 1,800 and 2,400 feet in elevation—it is one of our absolute favorite Chardonnays.  

Jonathan Cristaldi

Editor-in-Chief, Wine Access