2018 Mayacamas, Merlot, Mt. Veeder 6x75cl

Mayacamas: A Mount Veeder Monument

High above the valley floor, perched on the rugged, volcanic craters of Mount Veeder, Mayacamas Vineyards stands as an institutional, pioneering beacon of classic California winemaking. Established in 1889 by John Henry Fisher and revitalised in the post-prohibition era by Jack and Mary Taylor, the estate achieved international legendary status under the ownership of Bob Travers, who steered the property from 1968 through 2013. Travers crafted long-lived, structured wines that famously participated in the historic 1976 Judgment of Paris.

Today, under the careful stewardship of the Schottenstein family and skilled winemaker Braiden Albrecht, Mayacamas continues to champion a timeless, traditionalist methodology across its roughly 50 acres of mountain vineyards, remaining a definitive reference point for collectors who value historic pedigree over passing trends.

An Uncompromising Style of Structure and Depth

This is not a winery that chases scores. The defining hallmark of Mayacamas is an austere, high-toned, and structural style that deliberately avoids the opulent, high-alcohol, and heavily oaked trends that were popular in the Napa Valley. Sourced from high-altitude, low-yielding plots up to 2,400 feet above sea level, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes benefit from cooler mountain temperatures and intensely well-drained volcanic soils, preserving exceptional natural acidity. In the historic stone cellar, the estate utilises a remarkably traditional winemaking protocol.

The red wines undergo fermentation in large, neutral oak vats and concrete tanks before spending up to three years ageing in a combination of ancient Slavonian oak casks (foudres) and neutral French oak barrels. This long, non-interventionalist process yields wines with a dense, muscular mid-palate matrix framed by bright acidity, iron-like minerality, and rigid, fine-grained tannins.

The Exceptional Longevity of Mayacamas

The reputation of Mayacamas is anchored by a majestic mountain terroir that yields wines of unparalleled consistency and breathtaking aging potential. While the estate is globally revered for its benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon, it also produces a celebrated, non-malolactic mountain Chardonnay of laser-like focus, and a texturally rich, savoury Merlot. By maintaining low yields, selecting picking dates early to prioritise freshness, and entirely eschewing new wood cosmetics, the winemaking team guarantees a translucent, place-specific snapshot of Mount Veeder in every bottle.