At Roberson Wine’s recent Californian tasting Cathy Cohn of Mayacamas led a tasting of the estates wines.

Mayacamas is one of the oldest continuously producing wine estates in Napa. It was founded in 1889 by John Henry Fisher a Scotsman who of all things was a sword engraver. He made his money through producing pickles and then bought land and established the vineyards at the far end of the Mayacamas mountain.

Unfortunately, when San Francisco burnt to the ground in the earthquake of 1906 all his businesses floundered and he had to sell the winery at auction. A Catholic family bought it and grew wines for the sacristy and for that reason the winery managed to survive prohibition and the vineyards were kept intact.

The wine making style here has always been traditional and this style fell out a favour as Robert Parker rose to pre-eminence in the 1990s. The Schottenstein Family bought the winery in 2013 because they love this style and have continued the wine making philosophy ever since. The winery is that an elevation of 550 m and is still accessed by a dirt track.

The Chardonnays are from Wente clones, everything is dry farmed and in order to retain freshness they keep the barrels cold to prevent malolactic fermentation. The wines are aged in stainless steel and then used oak barrels. There is some Lee’s contact but minimal battonnage.

Mayacamas Chardonnay 2022. Pale lemon colour bright and shiny.. There are thick slow legs. On the nose ripe lemon, grapefruit, yellow ripe apples and pears and peach. A touch of smoke and green nuts. In the mouth it is dry with medium acid but a distinct freshness the fruits are still ripe but mostly citrus and it is full bodied with a plush mouth feel only the merest hint of toast and smoke and it’s very long.

Mayacamas Chardonnay 2001.This Wine is medium golden colour showing his age but it’s still bright. The legs are thick and slow on the glass. There is ripe lemon, peach and then dried apricots and raisins on the nose. It’s dry with medium acid full body high alcohol but well integrated and a silky plush mouth feel. The finish is quite nutty and a touch salty. A lovely fully developed wine.

The red wines are all made in a similar way. Fermentation takes place in enamelled concrete vats and is relatively quick. They are unconcerned about achieving high levels of extraction and more interested in maintaining freshness. Flavour develops through long aging in a variety of used barrels, 3 years for the Cabernets and 2 for the Merlot. Then the Cab’s get another year in bottle before release.

Mayacamas Merlot 2021. Deep ruby colour nearly all the way to the rim, bright. There are thick slow slightly stained legs. On the nose red fruit, plums both red and black, cherries again red or black and a nice prickly capsicum note. There’s a touch of spice and a touch of stewed plump, cloves and all spice. In the mouth very fruit forward. Fresh ripe red and black plums again. Medium minus acid medium soft tannins on the gums and cheeks and there is a slight tingle of alcohol on the nose. Oak is there but very subtle. A long tasty finish.

Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon 2019. Deep ruby with slight brick at the rim and reflective. There are medium legs. On the nose violet, blackcurrant .blackberries, bay leaf (which apparently grows on the mountain) leather and toast. This would be difficult to place in California blind as there is such a savoury component. On the palate, dry with full body, ripe tannins ends fresh and long. Wow, this is an amazing wine. The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and has a classic slightly grainy tannin structure felt around the gums with the ‘direction’ that Nick Jackson talks about. The only clue here might be that there’s a slight hole in the mid pallet leading to 100% Cabernet Sauvignon which would be unusual in Bordeaux.

Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon 2014. Deep garnet.  The nose is perfumed with violets, black fruit sweet black currant, bay leaf, earth, leather and toast. This is super complex and absolutely enchanting. In the mouth the wine has great balance, it’s dry with full body, ripe fine grained tannin.  The fruit coats the mouth. This wine has a touch of Merlot in the blend but still very firmly structured. It’s super long in the finish. An amazing wine that is really singing. Cathy says that the 2019 vintage was very similar to 2104 so worth finding some and tucking it away.

Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon 2003. This is deep and fully garnet but still bright. More spice and tertiary notes on the nose there is still blackcurrant and blackberry some capsicum a little cedar and some mint. In the mouth it is full bodied the tannins are ripe soft and very fine grained. There is a touch of cooked fruit on the mouth and then there is a long fruit driven finish.

Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon 1998.  A treat brought over from Cathy’s wine fridge in New York. Deep garnet in colour, lightning to the rim but still bright. Medium thick slow legs. There is black fruit, mint and capsicum.  Then earth, mushroom, cedar and leather. A  very complex and fully developed wine. On the pallet really well balanced and very refined and elegant and very, very long.

Tasting the wines gives one an insight into what ‘traditional’ wine making means at Mayacamas: the wines are elegant, structured and clearly unfurl beautifully with age.