Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I bought my first Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard in the mid-1970s. The vintage was 1967, and I let it sit in the cellar for just a bit when I enjoyed it with my dad—he only drank high-class (aka: expensive) Cabernets. We enjoyed the wine with a holiday prime rib dinner. The 2012 vintage is one of the winery's best in a lineup of superstars. TASTING NOTES: This wine is classic. Its aromas of red and black fruit, combined with earth and savory spices make it a lovely choice with a prime rib and Yorkshire pudding. (Tasted: August 20, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Decanter
The just-released vintage of Martha's Vineyard is another youthful classic from Heitz, bursting with notes of black cherry, mint chocolate, cigar box and spice. On the palate the wine is ample, concentrated and fresh, with more intensity and drive than many of the supple wines this easygoing vintage produced. Its inherent complexity needs time to unfurl.
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James Suckling
Intense aromas of mint, eucalyptus, dark berries, currants and redwood. Citrus peel to boot. Full-bodied, layered and very pretty with silky tannins and a juicy finish. Tight and subtle. Retro cool. From organically grown grapes.
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Wine Enthusiast
This tremendous 100% varietal wine hails from Oakville and was aged over three years in oak. Juicy red-cherry fruit and a compelling hint of caramel greet the palate, framed by elegant, fine tannins and a subtle minty tone in the background. Balanced and rewarding from start to finish, it has years ahead of it to develop further nuance. Enjoy 2022–2030.
Cellar Selection -
Wine & Spirits
Grown at the May family’s vineyard in the western benchlands of Oakville, this cabernet is always a late release from Heitz. In 2012, it has the powerful richness of an Oakville cabernet, with some mushroom notes that show its maturity. Heady and warm, it’s a wine for braised lamb.
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.