Winemaker Notes
The palate of the 2016 Lot C-91 exhibits the density and length that only the truly great wines of the world are capable of. The soft expression of red and black fruits are a result of harvesting earlier while the fruit is still fresh and vibrant and having patience as the wine undergoes one of the longest aging regimens in the region. A clear differentiation between the Napa Valley Cabernet and the Lot C-91 is the presence of savory elements such as sage, rosemary, cured meats, and black pepper. This patient approach allows for the integration of tannin, alcohol, acidity, and fruit. The result is a wine of incredible complexity and harmony, that is true to the place it comes from.
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Blue fruit with stone, lavender and currant aromas and flavors. Fresh herbs too. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins. Such firmness and focus and beauty. A blend of all their top single vineyards. Drink or hold.
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Tasting Panel
Rich plum nose, velvety, ripe, and elegant. Complex, dense, and classic, balanced and long.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2016 Heitz Cellar Lot C-91—which began its history in 1969 when the only vintage from this legendary lot was ever produced—is a wine of outstanding authenticity tying the past to the present and into the future. My notes on Heitz Cellar wines span five decades of tasting. I am not sure if I ever tasted the 1969 Lot C-91, but I did taste plenty of the family's wines. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits true aromas and flavors that one would expect from the Napa Valley—earth, dust, savory spices, black fruit, pencil lead. This is the real thing. Served it with grilled, well-marbled steak topped with diced shallots and a few twists of whole black peppercorns. (Tasted: August 14, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Shows a perfumed note, with red tea and sandalwood hints throughout. Supple red currant, fresh Damson and cherry preserve flavors do the heavy lifting. Fine-grained and very focused on the finish, with some sneaky length to boot. Drink now through 2034.
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.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.