2018 Heitz Cellar, Lot C-91, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA
Critics reviews
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91 is a blend from lots that show a bit more early approachability. All of the fruit is from estate vineyards. There's quite a bit of character and complexity here. Strong savory accents meld into a core of dark fruit. The tannins are a bit rustic, but then again, that's why these lots did not go into the vineyard designates.
Drink 2024-2033
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (October 2021)
There's a gentle herbaceousness to the cherry fruit in Heitz's 2018 Lot C-91, making it a bit more like redcurrant than true cherry. A blend of fruit from Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Howell Mountain, it's medium-bodied but more expansive and generous than the regular bottling, with a nice touch of velvet layered in on the mid-palate and a long, fruit-driven finish.
Drink 2024-2035
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (March 2023)
Expressive, with a bold menthol note followed quickly by boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors wrapped in black licorice. The long finish has a tug of earth amid a generally velvety feel, while the menthol note curls around the fruit. Distinctive.
Drink now to 2038
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (November 2023)
This robust, well-structured wine hugs tasty black cherries, black olives and charcoal flavors in firm tannins and will certainly improve and expand with time. Meaty, black peppery accents join with the herbs and black fruits for a complex, concentrated expression.
Drink 2026-2036
Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast (September 2023)
About this WINE
Heitz Cellar
Iconic Napa Valley producer Heitz Cellar is a brand-new addition to the BB&R portfolio, and we are thrilled to be offering it. For several years, we have been quietly working behind the scenes to establish a new partnership with Demeine Estates (owner of Heitz), and we are now excited to announce that we are the sole agency in the UK for Heitz Cellar.
A family-owned estate dating back to 1961, Heitz Cellar is a legendary name throughout Napa Valley and one of the leading pioneers of the region since its creation in the late 1950s by Joe Heitz. The celebrated and much-acclaimed ‘Martha’s Vineyard’ was, in fact, the first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon to be produced in the valley. Since then, the refined and Bordeaux-esque style of winemaking has become synonymous with the estate as their legacy and notoriety continue to grow globally.
In April 2018, Heitz Cellar entered an exciting new chapter as this rich legacy was passed into the hands of the Lawrence family, whose deep roots in agriculture and commitment to the same core values of fine winemaking made it a perfect match. The wines are made with an unwavering commitment to quality from organically farmed, 100% Napa Valley fruit and a commitment to the sustainability of Napa Valley. The style unquestionably differs from many of the riper, concentrated Cabs produced by some of their neighbours.
St. Helena
St. Helena is situated in the heart of Napa Valley, in California, approximately midway between the towns of Napa and Calistoga. It is known for its picturesque vineyards and is a central hub within the Napa Valley wine-growing region.
Like much of Napa Valley, St. Helena experiences a Mediterranean climate characterised by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The climate is well-suited for grape cultivation, particularly for Cabernet Sauvignon, the region's flagship varietal.
The soils are diverse, ranging from gravelly and alluvial soils to volcanic and sedimentary deposits. These varied soil types contribute to the complexity and unique characteristics of wines produced in the region.
St. Helena is known for producing high-quality wines, emphasising Cabernet Sauvignon. Other varietals, such as Merlot, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay, are also cultivated in the area. The region is home to several renowned wineries and vineyards that have significantly shaped the reputation of Napa Valley wines. Some notable wineries include Beringer Vineyards, and Heitz Wine Cellars.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The most famous red wine grape in the world and one of the most widely planted.
It is adaptable to a wide range of soils, although it performs particularly well on well-drained, low-fertile soils. It has small, dusty, black-blue berries with thick skins that produce deeply coloured, full-bodied wines with notable tannins. Its spiritual home is the Médoc and Graves regions of Bordeaux where it thrives on the well-drained gravel-rich soils producing tannic wines with piercing blackcurrant fruits that develop complex cedarwood and cigar box nuances when fully mature.
The grape is widely planted in California where Cabernet Sauvignon based wines are distinguished by their rich mixture of cassis, mint, eucalyptus and vanilla oak. It is planted across Australia and with particular success in Coonawarra where it is suited to the famed Terra Rossa soil. In Italy barrique aged Cabernet Sauvignon is a key component in Super Tuscans such as Tignanello and Sassicaia, either on its own or as part of a blend with Sangiovese.
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Description
Aged for three years in old and new French oak. This is a wonderful example of how to maximise the quality of younger vines at the outskirts of Martha’s Vineyard.
The Lot C-91 is a blend of four of Heitz’s single vineyards: Martha’s, Trailside, Linda Falls and Spring Mountain. The winemaking may be identical but this is fascinatingly different to the 2018 Heitz Napa Cabernet. The Lot C-91 has a much more exotic nose of purple fruit, violets and an almost rose petal spice. The palate is beautiful, immediately supple and seductive yet fine and elegant at the same time. This is definitely a more hedonistic style than the other Heitz reds yet still has such sophisticated tannins, and that signature freshness, combining it all seamlessly together. A savoury twist completes the long, rewarding and absolutely sublime finish.
Drink now to 2048
Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (December 2023)
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