Heitz Vineyard Vertical Tasting at Wine Watch

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 - 07:00 PM

This Event has been read: 2725 times.

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What is better than to sit at the end of a day and drink wine with friends, or substitute for friends.
 -James Joyce

 

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We only have great friends here at Wine Watch and what better reason to get together than to drink some great wines.  Every time I get a collection of wine that contains a vertical selection of a wine like Heitz Martha's Vineyard I put a tasting on the calendar to experience some of these with our Wine Drinking People.

 

Heitz Cellar is the first winery in California to release a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon with the Martha's Vineyard 1965 Cabernet Sauvignon.  They were also the first winery that wine lovers lined up at the winery upon release to purchase a bottle at ridiculous prices or what they considered ridiculous in the 1970's. 

 

This tasting features five vintages of the Martha's Vineyard and seven vintages of the Bella Oaks and costs less than a single bottle of the current release of a bottle of either of these iconic single vineyard bottlings of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine Watch caterings Toni Lampasone will be making a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines and the fee for this event is $179 + tax per person, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

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Heitz Cellars Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting at Wine Watch
Wednesday, May 11th
7pm

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1977 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard

Quite right to serve this first as it may have looked a little spindly after the 1995. A wonderful testament to California Cabernet, the late Joe Heitz and the Rhodes's who owned Bella Oaks vineyard. The most gorgeously sweet, fully evolved yet really quite delicate nose - almost burgundian. Minty, fresh with wonderful balance and subtlety, although the acidity started to show through after 30 minutes or so in the glass. Marvellous. Less than 13% alcohol if I remember correctly. 19/20 points. James Halliday (8/2009)

 

1978 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard

(91 Points)  "Classic Martha's--minty, spicy, elegant and aging exceptionally well. Shows off plenty of flavors, with currant, black cherry, anise, cedar and plum." Wine Spectator

 

1985 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard

(92 points) Powerful and complex, with lots of ripe cherry, currant and spice aromas and flavors, hinting at chocolate and toast on the long, long finish. A big wine with plenty of grace and elegance. (5/1990) Wine Spectator

 

1988 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard

Firm in texture, with a decidedly earthy edge and hints of mustiness, but offers focused, herb-scented prune and black cherry aromas and flavors. (3/1993) Wine Spectator

 

1988 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard

Firm and focused, lacking the depth and richness of Martha's in a great vintage, but has a crisp texture and tree bark overtones to the nicely turned-out currant and black cherry flavors. An elegant wine that might be better after 1997. (3/1993) Wine Spectator

 

1990 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard

From the winemaker: "Bella Oaks Vineyard is a prestigious sliver of 18 lush acres in the heart of the distinguished Rutherford growing district. Positioned on the west side of the valley where the soil is wonderfully rich and well-drained, the vines revel in the sun's rays all day long resulting in plump berries that ripen a bit earlier in the season."

 

1993 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard

(91 points) (Cellar Selection) Best version of this Rutherford-grown wine in nearly a decade. Aromatically complex, with pretty floral and plumy aromas, the lean, austere style slowly unfolds to reveal a broad range of complex flavors, with currant, spice, sage and cedar notes. Impeccably balanced... (8/1998) Wine Spectator

 

1996 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard

Wine Spectator: "Intense, with minty currant and mocha flavors that are rich, tannic and concentrated. Youthful, yet the tannins are dense, earthy and chewy." (2007)

 

1997 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard

Heitz Cellars Bella Oaks Cabernet possesses a briary, vanillin overtone in the aroma and richness on the palate that rank it amongst the most flavorful of all Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. The wine has received national recognition for its superb quality and consistency in style.

 

1997 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Price: $234.00    Sale Price: $195.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

(95 points)  A deep, intense wine, the 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard is rich and beautifully layered, with sweeping stature. Dark red cherry, crushed flowers, mint and spice fill out in the glass. At eighteen years of age, the 1997 tastes more like a ten year-old wine! There is no shortage of personality here, but readers need to give the 1997 at least another few years to allow some of the baby fat to melt off. This incredibly youthful Cabernet Sauvignon will drink well for another few decades. (AG) (10/2015) Vinous

 

2001 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard

Offers a beam of red currant and black cherry fruit that's intense, lively and persistent, with good acidity and firm tannins. (11/2006) Wine Spectator

 

2001 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Price: $175.00    Sale $154.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

(95 points)  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. 95+ (RP) (6/2011) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

Menu

 

Selection of Cheese:  Beemster Gouda, parmesan Reggiano

Portabello Mushroom Carpaccio - fin herb sprinkle - Minted Aioli finished with crispy Dino Kale Chips

Herbed Goat Cheese Crusted New Zealand Lamp Chops served with Spring Pea Souffle on a whipped bed of Rutabaga/Carrot Mash.

 

 The fee for this event is $179 + tax per person, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.