Dalla Valle
Dalla Valle Vineyards is recognized as one of Napa Valley’s preeminent family-run wineries. Founded in 1986 by Naoko and her late husband Gustav Dalla Valle, on the famed eastern hillsides of Oakville, Dalla Valle Vineyards has earned acclaim as one of world’s most celebrated wine estates, yielding wines of extraordinary character and complexity, vintage after vintage.
Today, Dalla Valle is guided by the mother-and-daughter team of Naoko and Maya Dalla Valle, who work alongside an illustrious team that includes Consulting Winemaker Andy Erickson, Vineyard Manager Edgar Alfaro, as well as Consulting Enologist Michel Rolland. With a shared mission that Dalla Valle thrive for generations to come, this dedicated group stewards every aspect of the viticulture and winemaking with a level of meticulous care and detail reserved for the great First Growths.
Philosophy
Encompassing just 20 planted acres, this renowned vineyard is farmed with the same level of meticulous care and thoughtfulness given to a First Growth site. As a result, it has emerged as one of the New World's greatest winegrowing sites, recognized for yielding some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the world.
Located on the famed eastern hillsides of Oakville, at elevations reaching 450 feet, it is a site that effortlessly straddles the line between a valley floor and a mountain vineyard. While a predominantly western aspect provides the vines plentiful sunshine, constant breezes off the San Pablo Bay bring a cooling influence that helps the grapes retain lovely natural acidity. Dalla Valle's distinctive mineral-rich volcanic soils provide excellent drainage and just the right amount of stress for the vines to yield profoundly complex and concentrated grapes.
The vineyard is tended by a dedicated vineyard team, with a focus on winegrowing, as opposed to grape growing. In keeping with the sustainably minded, multigenerational approach that guides Dalla Valle, the vineyard has been farmed organically since 2007 and is Certified Organic by the CCOF. Beginning in 2019, the team has shifted to biodynamic farming. As part of this holistic approach to vineyard health and vitality, an array of cover crops are grown, and
Biography
Since founding Dalla Valle Vineyards in 1986, Naoko has been the guiding force behind Dalla Valle, quietly earning a reputation as one of Napa Valley’s most respected vintners. While doing so, she has established Dalla Valle as one of the New World’s most beloved wineries. A passionate farmer, and a believer that great wines are made in the vineyard, under Naoko’s stewardship, the Dalla Valle estate has earned legendary status for the quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The embodiment of a hands-on owner, Naoko is in the vineyard almost daily, adding her three decades of winegrowing knowledge to every decision that shapes the vines and ensures the pinnacle of quality.
In 2017, Naoko was joined at Dalla Valle by her daughter, Maya, a gifted winemaker who learned her craft working at some of the world’s most iconic wineries. “I have long admired the great multigenerational wineries of Europe, so having Maya join me at Dalla Valle was always a secret dream,” says Naoko. “As a mother, working beside my daughter to preserve the vision and values that have always defined Dalla Valle is truly inspiring.”
Wines from Dalla Valle
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