Education
Welcome to Episode 984 Cynthia Chaplin interviews Maya Dalla Valle, in this installment of Voices, on the Italian Wine Podcast.
More about today’s guest:
Maya was destined to be a winemaker. In 1986, the year she was conceived, her parents, Naoko and Gustav, made their first vintage of estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. The following year—the year she was born—they planted Maya’s Vineyard, a 5-acre block of Cabernet Sauvignon that has become one of the most revered winegrowing sites in America. In 1992, this remarkable vineyard yielded a wine that would go on to earn Dalla Valle’s first perfect 100-point score from legendary critic Robert Parker. Growing up at Dalla Valle in the company of winemakers like Heidi Barrett, Tony Soter and Mia Klein infused Maya’s formative years with a sense of place and purpose that has come to define her adult life.
In 2017, Dalla Valle became a true multigenerational winery, when Maya joined the winery as director. Committed to earning her place in the family business before coming to Dalla Valle, Maya holds a master’s degree in viticulture and enology from Cornell University, and a master’s of business and science degree in vineyard and winery management from France’s prestigious Bordeaux Science Agro. Equally important, Maya gained invaluable hands-on winemaking experience at Ornellaia e Masseto, Bodegas Rolland, Pétrus and Château Latour. “Dalla Valle is my home. It is also my family’s legacy,” says Maya. “I am so excited to be working alongside my mom. Dalla Valle is her life’s work, and what she has created is remarkable. I also know that the greatest wineries are judged in terms of decades and generations, and that our story is still being written. I am honored to be carrying our family’s legacy into a second generation.”
To learn more about today’s guest visit:
www.dallavallevineyards.com/people/maya…alla-valle/
About today’s Host:
Cynthia Chaplin is a Vinitaly International Academy certified Italian Wine Ambassador, a professional sommelier with Fondazione Italiana Sommelier, a member of Le Donne del Vino, and a Professor of Italian wine and culture. Born in the USA, Cynthia moved to Europe in 1990 where she has lived in Spain, Belgium, England and Italy. She chose to center her career in Rome and immerse herself in the Italian wine sector, which is her passion. She has taught university students and expats, works with embassies, corporations and private clients, creating and presenting tastings, events, seminars and in-depth courses. Cynthia is a wine writer, translator, and a judge at international wine and sake competitions. She consults with restaurants and enotecas assisting in the development of comprehensive wine lists and excellent food pairings, as well as advising private clients who want to develop a comprehensive Italian wine collection. She lives with her British photographer husband on the shore of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome, where they share their beautiful garden with one massive grapevine, two border collies and an arrogant diva cat.
If you want to learn more about today’s host, you can by visiting:
Facebook: Italian Wines in English
Instagram: kiss_my_glassx
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-chaplin-190647179/
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Until next time, Cin Cin!