Winemaker Notes
The 2001 Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an impressive, opulent wine with superb balance. The rich, intense color catches your eye immediately as the wine is poured into the glass. Swirl it, and take pleasure in the distinctive and enduring minty aroma that is so characteristic of this celebrated proprietary clone. This is an exciting wine from the Oakville appellation with a track record dating back to its first vintage in 1966. There is nothing like a Martha's Vineyard Cabernet – trieda nd true, it is a remarkable treasure from the Napa Valley.<
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This was a spectacular performance from this hallowed vineyard as well as one of Napa Valley’s great historic terroirs. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it reveals a still youthful personality and will benefit from another 5-7 years of bottle age. An opaque purple color is followed by aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, flowers and background earth as well as spice. The old eucalyptus-filled aromatics of a young Martha’s Vineyard are nowhere to be found as the 2001 is dominated by fruit and earth. Full-bodied and powerful with superb integration of wood, tannin, acidity and alcohol, this large-scaled red is capable of three or more decades of cellaring. It is unquestionably a youthful classic, but it requires patience from its owners. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.
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.