2018 DVO, Napa Valley, California, USA

A joint winemaking project between Axel Heinz and Maya Dalle Valle comes with high expectations, and this lives up to promise, with finessed and supremely sleek black liquorice, cocoa bean, Christmas cake spice and concentrated cassis and damson flavours. It has the exuberance and powerful build of the 2018 vintage in Napa, along with a sculpting of fresh herbs, slate and plenty of grip. An impressive first vintage. 75% new oak for ageing, held in bottle for one year before release. The grapes are from sites across Oakville, Mount Veeder and Coombsville.Drink 2025 to 2040jane_anson_mw, janeanson_com (February 2023)