Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is old-school Napa — a 14% ABV, 750mL bottle of 100% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from the mountain vineyards of Mt. Veeder, made in the savory, age-worthy style Mayacamas has refused to compromise since the 1940s. The 2018 vintage drew 98 points from Vinous and 97 from Wine Spectator, and the critics agree on the drinking window: this is a cellar wine built for decades. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV / size: 14% ABV — 750mL, 2018 vintage
- Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, estate vineyards
- Origin: Mt. Veeder AVA, Napa Valley, California — 1,800–2,400 ft elevation, volcanic and igneous rocky soils
- Style: extended elevage in the classic Mayacamas manner; practicing organic viticulture
- Scores: 98 Vinous · 97 Wine Spectator · 93+ Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The Anti-Napa Cab
Where much of Napa chases ripe, chocolatey power, Mayacamas has always gone the other way — mountain fruit, high natural acidity, savory tobacco-and-stone character, and the patience to age it properly. One reviewer called the 2018 a "dead ringer for Haut-Brion." It's the bottle for the drinker who wants Napa Cabernet with old-world restraint and a finish that lasts for decades rather than hours. Explore more Cabernet Sauvignon, browse Del Mesa's red wine shelf, or see the rest of the Mayacamas collection.
Tasting Notes
Mayacamas's own note leads with raspberry and resinous pencil shavings, brambly fruit and pomegranate, flinty minerality and Mt. Veeder's signature freshness, with fine earthy tannins melting into a long, mouthwatering finish. Antonio Galloni (Vinous, 98) called it "imposing, vertical," with bright floral and spice notes lifting a soaring finish; Wine Spectator (97) found pine forest, sweet bay leaf, steeped currant, bitter plum, tobacco, and warm stone.
How to Enjoy
Decant at least an hour — this is a structured mountain cab that opens dramatically with air. Pair with dry-aged ribeye, rack of lamb, or hard aged cheeses; if you can wait, Galloni suggests 2028–2048.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2018 Mayacamas a blend?
No — it's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate's Mt. Veeder vineyards.
When should I drink it?
Critics agree it rewards cellaring: Vinous suggests 2028–2048, Wine Spectator 2025–2045.
What makes Mt. Veeder different from valley-floor Napa?
Elevation (1,800–2,400 ft), volcanic soils, and cooler nights give leaner, more mineral, longer-lived cabs than the valley floor.
Old Napa, done the hard way — order the Mayacamas 2018 Cabernet online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.