Winemaker Notes
The Palate of the 2015 Linda Falls is unlike any other wine that we produce. The elevation, soil, and aspect force the grapes to struggle. This hardship produces a wine of incredible density and structure, magnified by the characteristics of the vintage. The combination of tart and ripe black and red fruits with high mountain herbs of juniper and Douglas Fir make this one of the most unique expressions of pure Cabernet Sauvignon in the world.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Character here is full of mountain fruit with blueberry, pine needle, crushed stone and conifer. Full yet not overbearing with firm and finely chewy tannins and a long and fresh finish. Spicy at the end with cloves. Drink after 2023.
-
Vinous
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Linda Falls Vineyard is a dense, packed wine, yet retains its old-school, classically built style. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice, dried herbs and chocolate infuse the palate with notable depth. The Linda Falls is the hidden gem in this portfolio.
-
Wine Spectator
Shows enticing and mature hints of singed spice, dried sage, sassafras and bay leaf amid a core of gently mulled blackberry and boysenberry flavors. The long, fine-grained finish reveals a fresh edge, with the herbaceous side lingering. Drink now through 2038. 760 cases made.
Renowned for crafting Napa Valley's first cult wines, Heitz Cellar is globally recognized as the crown jewel of American wine. The timeless post-Prohibition style of winemaking endures with esteemed winemaker, Brittany Sherwood, producing elegant and balanced wines sourced from 100% organic and biodynamic Napa Valley fruit. Pioneering pure varietal, single-vineyard wines that can age for decades, including the iconic Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Heitz Cellar wines hail from the region’s most premier vineyard sites including Oakville, Rutherford, Howell Mountain, St. Helena, and Oak Knoll. Family-owned since its founding in 1961, Heitz Cellar continues to embody the artistry and legacy of classic winemaking with single-vineyard wines that position it as one of the world’s leading wine estates.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Today Cabernet Sauvignon is the star of this part of Napa’s rugged, eastern hills, but Zinfandel was responsible for giving the Howell Mountain growing area its original fame in the late 1800s.
Winemaking in Howell Mountain was abandoned during Prohibition, and wasn’t reawakened until the arrival of Randy Dunn, a talented winemaker famous for the success of Caymus in the 1970s and 1980s. In the early eighties, he set his sights on the Napa hills and subsequently astonished the wine world with a Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Shortly thereafter Howell Mountain became officially recognized as the first sub-region of Napa Valley (1983).
With vineyards at 1,400 to 2,000 feet in elevation, they predominantly sit above the fog line but the days in Howell Mountain remain cooler than those in the heart of the valley, giving the grapes a bit more time on the vine.
The Howell Mountain AVA includes 1,000 acres of vineyards interspersed by forestlands in the Vaca Mountains. The soils, shallow and infertile with good drainage, are volcanic ash and red clay and produce highly concentrated berries with thick skins. The resulting wines are full of structure and potential to age.
Today Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Sirah thrive in this sub-appellation, as well as its founding variety, Zinfandel.