Del Dotto Vineyards

One of the great Napa experiences is a visit to the caves of Del Dotto. Proprietor Dave Del Dotto, imported all of the impressive cave components, including special marble from Italy. The tasting room is truly one of the most gorgeous in North America. A brilliant business mind, Dave Del Dotto was a real estate investor in Modesto, California who made a great success in infomercials throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He is both charismatic and highly knowledgeable about wine and the Napa Valley. Always fascinated by wine, in 1993 he started Del Dotto Vineyards which has been an incredible success since its inception. 

As fun as the winery tour is, the wines are very serious. Dave Del Dotto has an incredible range of wines that are all of top quality, literally from Rose to beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon.  I have been thrilled by this lineup for many years and they continue to be on top of their game. I absolutely loved the new 2018 Piazza Del Dotto Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 91)  which shows wonderful texture and astringency. One of the great Chardonnay wines that I have sampled from Napa this year, the 2017 Del Dotto ‘Family Reserve’ Chardonnay (WWB, 95) has an insanely good mouthfeel and shows incredible mid-palate range. This is a rich, unctuous style Chardonnay that is not for the weary. I was totally blown away with their 2017 Villa Del Lago Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 97), which shows incredible promise already and needs a few more years in the cellar to show its full potential. The wine is incredibly rich but has a seamless quality that is hard to find. Learn more about this famed winery at http://www.deldottovineyards.com Here are the stunning new lineup of wines by Del Dotto. 

2018 Piazza Del Dotto Rose- Marvelously astringent, the 2018 Piazza Del Dotto Rose shows very pretty rose water, orange zest and red cherry candy flavors. Vibrant, with great acidity, this highly gratifying in its youth. Drink 2019-2023- 91 

2018 Piazza Del Dotto Sauvignon Blanc- The Sauvignon Blanc begins with aromas of honeysuckle and lime zest that connect with shades of nutmeg on the nose. The sot mouthfeel is lovely as the wine delivers bright lemon zest and orange rind flavors with undertones of Challah bread and nutmeg that collide on the palate. Delicious now, enjoy this bright wine in its youth. Drink 2019-2025- 91

2017 Del Dotto Chardonnay-  The 2017 Del Dotto Chardonnay is a gorgeous effort from this storied Napa winery./ On the nose this takes on nutmeg that combine with the ripe tropical fruits that all take their shape in the glass. The palate shows off a soft, silky texture. Vanilla cream with baking spices with suggestions of rbright pear and cantaloupe all mingle on the palate. While delightful and it’s youth, this beautiful new Chardonnay wine will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2019- 2029- 93

2017 Del Dotto ‘Family Reserve’ Chardonnay- The 2017 Del Dotto ‘Family Reserve’ Chardonnay is a scintillating effort from this winemaking team. The nose is highly perfumed with ripe butterscotch and nutmeg with rich pine apple and banana tones that all mingle aromatically. The palate is rich and shows off a silky, unctuous texture. Intense tropical fruits mingle with shades of clove, cinnamon spice, and baked apple that all are highly gratifying. There is obvious ripeness but the acid backbone to the wine is gorgeous. While sensational in its youth, this outstanding Chardonnay will provide drinking enjoyment for the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2019-2033- 95

2018 Del Dotto ‘Cinghale Vineyard Pinot Noir- This estate vineyard was purchased by Dave Del Dotto in 2004. The wine was aged for fourteen months in French oak 50% new prior to bottling. The Pinot Noir shows bright red fruits with accents of citrus rind and cloves on the nose. Rich and generous, the soft texture really entices. Right now the wine shows soft tannins that combine with red and dark fruits with baking spice tones. While delightful in its youth this beautiful wine will cellar well for a decade or more. Try to resist this for another year. Drink 2020-2032- 94

2017 Del Dotto ‘Cave Blend’ Red Wine- Mainly comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon (73%) the ‘Cave Blend’ begins with aromas of mocha with tar, leather and black licorice that all meld together on the nose. The palate shows off a silky mouthfeel and soft, round and generous texture that entices. Ripe blackberry with crème de cassis, anise, and black forest cake flavors fill the palate. While seriously good now, this will evolve brilliantly for at least another decade. Drink 2019-2029- 92

2016 Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2016 Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon is a marvelous showing at now three years of age. The wine shows really good elegant aromatics with black tea, and potpourri that mingle with shades of creme de cassis and blackberry compote that all take their shape in the glass.  The palate is currently showing a good degree of freshness and weight with light tannins that line blueberry compote, anise, creme de cassis and tar flavors. The balance here is seriously good. This beautiful wine will cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2019-2032- 93

2017 Del Dotto Cabernet Franc- This 100% Cabernet Franc wine starts off with aromas of red bell pepper with rose water and shades of licorice that all mingle together on the nose. The pallet is plush delivering a silky mouthfeel. Black tea, exotic spices, black berry compote, and shades of pipe tobacco on the angle together. Moderately tannic now, the Cabernet Franc is sensational stuff in its youth and will cellar well for decades. Drink 2020-2035- 94

2017 Del Dotto ‘Lot ST Centre Sylvain French Oak’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Lot ST Centre Sylvain French Oak’ is a stunning wine made by Del Dotto. This is highly perfumed wine that was aged for 24 months in Sylvain oak. Creme de cassis and anise with suggestions of Turkish coffee all collide on the decadent nose. The pallet is plush and inviting as you get a nice feel of opulence. Black tea, Asian spices, crème de cassis and mocha flavors all collect momentum on the palate. While sensational now this beautiful wine will show well for decades to come. Drink 2020-2040- 95

2017 Piazza Del Dotto ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Reserve’ bottling by Piazza Del Dotto is just sensational at this early stage in its development. This inky colors wine opens with anise with shades of sandalwood, mocha and creosote that all mingle together in the glass. The palate shows wonderful freshness and intensity with bright blue fruits that mingle with minerals, blackberry pie and shades of black licorice. While a delight to savor now this incredible bottling will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2020-2035- 94

2017 Villa Del Lago Cabernet Sauvignon- A monumental new wine, the 2017 Villa Del Lago Cabernet Sauvignon was entirely sourced from the Pritchard Hill AVA. Exotic and highly dense on the nose this shows exotic spices that mingle with sandalwood, mocha, blueberry compote and tar on the bouquet. The palate is plush, showing incredible elegance and poise. Black tea, anise, blueberry compote, mocha and sweet pipe tobacco flavors all meld together brilliantly on the palate. Showing some medium tannins now, this seductive, deep and highly gratifying Cabernet Sauvignon wine will cellar well for decades. Drink 2022-2045- 97