Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots of blueberry and currant character. Full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Better in 2017.
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Wine & Spirits
Bernard Portet, who helped found Clos du Val in 1972 and ran it for 38 years, started Heritance as a retirement project. His 2012 has the kind of structure and austerity that marked some of the classic vintages of Clos du Val. It starts out with sour cherry tartness, gains richness in the middle and then lasts on sleek, dry tannins. The wine leaves a smoky, peppery, earthy impression that would meld with braised lamb shoulder.
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.