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.
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.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.