100% Chardonnay

Food pairings: Oysters on the half shell, crab, butter-poached lobster, seared scallops, halibut or sea bass, roast chicken with crispy skin or in a light mushroom cream sauce, creamy risotto, and cheeses such as Comté, Gruyère or Parmesan.

Scores:

• 95 points, Decanter
• 95 points, James Suckling

Winemaking: Since the 1950s the vinification and élevage at Mayacamas have stayed remarkably consistent, built on classical techniques and tools. The style begins with an early harvest to keep acidity and bright flavors: the 2022 was picked by hand in mid-August, cluster-sorted and mostly whole-cluster pressed, then fermented with native yeasts in neutral oak, about 60% in French barrels, 30% in 500-liter puncheons and the rest in large French and Austrian oak foudres. In the estate's hallmark style the wine does not go through malolactic fermentation, so it keeps its natural tension and the intensity of the mountain fruit, and it is released only after further time in bottle.

Vineyards and terroir: The organically farmed estate vineyards cover a small part of the Mayacamas property near the summit of Mount Veeder, on the south face of the mountain at 1,800 to 2,400 feet, among some of the highest planted land in Napa. The old stone winery sits on the edge of a dormant volcano crater. The soils of weathered volcanic rock and ash drain well and are rich in minerals but poor in organic matter, so the vines struggle and give small, intensely flavored berries, while the cool, windy climate is shaped by San Pablo Bay to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Since 2013 renowned viticulturist Phil Coturri has managed the vineyards, replanting much of them and converting them to fully organic farming.

Family and history: John Henry Fisher bought this remote mountain property in 1889 and built the winery, still in use today, from stones gathered on the land. After the 1906 earthquake ruined his San Francisco businesses, the estate was sold at auction. Jack and Mary Taylor bought it in 1941, renamed it Mayacamas Vineyards, created the label with its two lions in a stylized "M" and planted the first Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1968 Bob and Elinor Travers took over; their 1971 Cabernet was chosen for the 1976 Judgment of Paris, and Bob made 45 vintages in the same traditional style. Since 2013 the current owners, the Schottenstein family, have carefully restored the estate, rebuilding after the 2017 Napa fires while keeping the traditional Mayacamas style.

In the pictures: The estate tasting room at Mayacamas, high on Mount Veeder (photo: Mayacamas Vineyards press material). The outdoor tasting deck, with its sweeping view over the mountains toward San Pablo Bay (photo: Mayacamas Vineyards press material).