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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.6 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 113 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by schnurbie on 3/31/2024 & rated 92 points: Delicious wine, drinking perfectly (404 views) | | | Tasted by jlhkiss on 3/28/2024 & rated 93 points: This is much improved and accessible since our last tasting two years ago. Paired with a Mediterranean feast of grilled lamb, mixed cheeses, olives, pita, and asparagus. Good blue and red fruit delineation, but the punchline is its incredible concentration, acidity, drinkability, and length. This is a classic, old-school Napa Cab akin to Bordeaux St. Julien or Margaux. Drink 2024-2030. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment scoreL 93. (408 views) | | | Tasted by Raywilliams420 on 1/26/2024 & rated 92 points: Still big. Pretty tannic. Thought it might be a bit more mellow than it is. It had five hours of air an was still kicking Great wine. Built to go longer. (766 views) | | | Tasted by Tahlequahdave1972 on 12/1/2023 & rated 92 points: PNP and consumed over two days with little change. Was struck by the "freshness" of the wine, even at 10 years old. Aromas of red and blue fruits carried over into the flavor profile while adding hints of mushroom, forest floor and pencil lead. Actually, pretty complex for an entry level cab. Balanced and resolved with sufficient structure to go a few more years. Medium length finish that was pleasing to the palate. (1040 views) | | | Tasted by brennan18 on 11/23/2023: Color was good but had a very musty smell.... Maybe corked? Unfortunately my last bottle 😞 (940 views) | | | Tasted by daveyk39 on 11/21/2023 & rated 91 points: 2h air. Medium ruby/purple color. Notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, forest floor, leather, baking spice and a hint of jalapeno. Creamy and smooth, medium-bodied, surprisingly restrained for a Napa Cab. Vibrant dark fruit on the palate, with a lingering finish that brings notes of earth into the mix. Worth the 5 year wait! (828 views) | | | Tasted by BellevuePhil on 7/23/2023 & rated 94 points: Why didn’t I listen to my wino buddy at Seastar and wait for the excruciating two hour decant?
The sweet memory of the amazing one nighter I had with the Heitz 2007 filled my memes and I could not fight the urge and so I popped and poured ... .the 2013.
The vintages are miles apart, but the love I have for this maker forces me to love each vintage but please don’t say it’s a fling! This is different from the sudden affair I had with special selection; this wine has more history and legend.
I swear I can see memories of my past when it opens and regretfully, I killed half of the bottle with a brick of feta and maldon salt, along with a medley of freshly picked cherry tomatoes from my garden covered in Bull Mastiff piss.
Regardless, after 2 hours it opened up into the most seductive and moving cab experience I have ever had with a Napa red.
One moment you would bring the glass to your nose and be hit with stale mold, then the next moment give it a good twist in the glass and your nose is hit with a bouquet so ripe and intoxicating it pulls memories from your past.
After just one glass, and even BEFORE it opened, I decided to go down to the garage and grab a bag of frozen meatballs my nana made for my parents back in the 70’s.
I know, I know, but listen.
Mom forgot about the meat sauce for a year (not uncommon for stuff to be in our freezer for years), Nana died, and Mom did not have the heart to throw them away because Nana hated any waste of food of any kind.
So... to honor Nana, we kept them “frozen” for decades. Each year mom would change the bag, or move it to the center of the freezer. Each Christmas I would try and convince her to cook it up but she declined but we all swore we would have a feast soon.
Nana’s gone, mom had a stroke and there they were..... so I thawed them out slowly in a sauté pan over low heat. Added my herbs from the garden, garlic, and using some Tonnarelli from a specialty store, I laid those decades old meatballs over those Pasta noodles and enjoyed each bite with this wonderful wine. OK, now here is the review:
In the hallowed realm of viticulture, where time-honored traditions converge with nature's artistry, lies a true gem of vinous excellence—the 2013 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon. A libation that unfurls a symphony of flavors on the palate, akin to a beautiful Italian maiden, graceful, captivating, and impossible to resist.
As I gently uncorked this vintage treasure, the air became imbued with an enchanting symphony of aromas, rising like a crescendo of fragrant notes. A ballet of blackberries and currants pirouetted gracefully, entwined with hints of cassis and the softest brush of warm oak. Swirling the glass, the wine's bouquet sang with finesse, revealing a delicate tapestry of violets and anise that lingered like a lingering memory of a bygone era.
With a sense of reverence, I took the first sip, and the wine embraced my palate with tender sophistication. Rich, dark fruit caressed my taste buds, and a velvety texture akin to the soft touch of that Italian maiden's hand graced my senses. The wine's structure was a marvel to behold, like the architecture of ancient Rome, with finely-woven tannins providing an elegant backbone that bestowed both strength and refinement.
But what truly elevated this vinous experience to the sublime was its enchanting companionship with my grandmother's frozen meatballs from 1998. As I savored each bite of those time-traveled delicacies, the 2013 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon danced in harmonious symphony, enhancing the flavors of those seasoned spheres. The wine's robust profile mingled with the meatball's savory essence, as if they were destined to meet across the ages.
In a moment of gustatory delight, I marveled at how the wine gracefully embraced the rustic charm of the meatballs, elevating them to a level of unparalleled delectability. Together, they wove a tale of generations, connecting the past and the present in a joyous celebration of culinary history.
In the end, the 2013 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon proved to be a timeless masterpiece, resonating with both sophistication and charm, much like the captivating allure of a beautiful Italian maiden. This wine will forever linger in my memory, an everlasting tribute to the art of winemaking and the cherished flavors of my grandmother's legacy. (1771 views) | | | Tasted by "Rhône Rider" on 3/18/2023 & rated 93 points: Rålekker nese med moreller, rødbær, leire, parfyme. Konsentrert munn med moreller, blyantspiss, sedertre. Lang avslutning med ake og treflis. 93 (1667 views) | | | Tasted by Deryl on 1/2/2023 & rated 92 points: Decanted a couple hours, drank with Christmas dinner Beef Wellington. Excellent pairing, wonderful drink fully expressed. (1842 views) | | | Tasted by SirJ on 11/1/2022 & rated 92 points: Heitz Cellars makes very good and long-lasting wines. High acidity and clear tannins, vintage 2013 was ok day 1, but brilliant day 2. Nice balance, good structure, and clear fruit. Leave for at least another 3 - 5 years. (2143 views) | | | Tasted by Winiac on 8/15/2022: Was corked but not severely. Enough to close the bouquet, but the taste was okay. Mouthfeel also round and smooth. Became drinkable with subdued bouquet after a lot of airing and swirling and waiting about two hours. (2543 views) | | | Tasted by jlhkiss on 4/2/2022 & rated 93 points: Opened and decanted 30-min ahead of seared filet Oscar style with mixed veggies @ Jaks West Seattle. Dark purple-crimson color. Still very primary, took about 2+ hours to get some fruit delineation on the palate. Floral nose of cherry blossoms, pencil lead, eucalyptus, and sweet tobacco. The palate is medium, square, compact, and very juicy, bringing a brambly core of blackberries, blueberries, and plums mixed with some chocolate cherries, raspberries, coffee, and mixed herbs. Still very tannic on the finish. Will be best 2024-2034, but this is still a treat now. Technical score: 94. Enjoyment score: 92. (2825 views) | | | Tasted by wgmccallum on 3/19/2022 & rated 94 points: Dark ruby. Classic nose of blackberry, roses, graphite, chocolate, and green pepper, all blocked out like a Cezanne. On the palate, sweet clear juice with vibrant acids, light body, strong acids, fairly light aromatic tannins moving into a long finish with increasing depth. Mysterious complexities that speak of both light and darkness. A delicous puzzle between nose and palate and back. (2291 views) | | | Tasted by SirJ on 2/12/2022 & rated 93 points: Have tested the Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 for two days. After double decanting the wine, it showed high acidity and was restrained on day 1. Day 2, the wine was brilliant, wonderful structure and elegant, ripe red and dark cherries, fine herbs and integrated oak. A finish that lasts a long time, incredibly good 🍷. It was superb for entrecote with fried vegetables and root vegetables, a sauce based on creme fraische, garlic, honey, basil and feta cheese.
Conclusion; this is quality, and this wine lasts for many more years, wait at least 2 - 4 years before this wine begins to approach the top. (2302 views) | | | Tasted by Tahlequahdave1972 on 12/12/2021 & rated 92 points: Slow ox for an hour and then decanted for an additional hour. Deep violet in the glass. Rose petals, cherry pie and toasted bread aromas, leading to flavors of cherry, red licorice, vanilla and baking spice. Medium, rich and subtle complexity, nicely balanced, polished and elegant. Moderately long finish. I was surprised how fresh and "clean" the wine tasted, with almost no hint of aging apparent. A long life ahead but so enjoyable now... (2282 views) | | | Tasted by elevwine on 8/15/2021 & rated 92 points: Drank over 3-hour dinner with friends. Decanted but still opening up during hour three. Just needs more time. (2764 views) | | | Tasted by pinot_glenn on 1/6/2021 & rated 90 points: Drank X-mas eve dinner 1/3/21 (3813 views) | | | Tasted by MatLot on 1/3/2021 & rated 91 points: bon vin trop chers deja pret a boire (3426 views) | | | Tasted by Goodjob! on 1/2/2021 & rated 90 points: Beau cabernet au nez de cerise et de vanille. La bouche est souple, les tannins et le boisé sont bien intégrés. Un peu simple pour le prix demandé. Les cabernets américains ont beaucoup augmentés en prix, mais la qualité ne suit malheureusement pas. Je suis d’accord pour payer 50$ pour ce genre de vin, mais pas 80$! À boire d’ici 2-3 ans. (3281 views) | | | Tasted by Tahlequahdave1972 on 12/30/2020 & rated 92 points: The "old world" style was evident in this finely crafted cab from Napa Valley. Decanted for an hour plus and consumed over the following three. Expressive aromas of dark fruits that was a hint of what was to come. Flavors of blackberry, plum, dusty earth, vanilla, mocha and spice led to a medium mouthfeel and a lingering finish. Elegant, balanced and oh, so inviting. The initial sharpness noted by others disappeared at hour three, suggesting that a longer decant would be in order. Many years of life remain. Excellent! (2901 views) | | | Tasted by Vinofitz on 11/24/2020 & rated 90 points: Drinking very well- a bit of sharpness from tannins but dark fruit is very evident. Some subtle earth notes and a medium finish. (2937 views) | | | Tasted by markcic on 9/22/2020 & rated 92 points: My wife decided for her birthday to go to a restaurant that frowns upon anyone bringing their own wine. So we ordered this bottle off the wine list. They opened it an decanted for us and we let it sit a while. The nose was dark berries and coffee. The palate was blueberry, blackberry, tobacco, roasted meat and a touch of dried spice on the finish. Overall an enjoyable wine. I just have a personal aversion to restaurant pricing on wine. I did make a deal with the owner that he would let me bring SQN's in at a reasonable corkage if he could have a glass with us. So hopefully I cracked the door a bit for the future. (2652 views) | | | Tasted by Château de Farmer on 9/14/2020 & rated 92 points: "This is what is good about Napa"; a nice bottle at a decent price point. Understated and dusty more than jammy, red fruit alongside the typical blue and black. Oak present but background. Mild tannins and not especially full bodied--clearly not an overly extracted wine. Will improve with a few more years in bottle, but was ready to go now. (2376 views) | | | Tasted by Puteljen! on 7/11/2020 & rated 93 points: Intense nose with lots of fruit: blackberries, blueberries, plum. Hints of herbs with sage and mint. Also a slightly floral component. Hints of vanilla and light tobacco. On the palate also lots of fruit, but elegant and well balanced. No heat to speak of. good acidity, light tannins. Smooth and silky. Medium lengt. Very good. Elegant for a napa cab. Perhaps lacking some cabernet typicity (i.e. not much in the way of blackcurrant/cassis) (3023 views) | | | Tasted by schnurbie on 6/21/2020 & rated 90 points: Can't express enough how wonderful, tasty, easy drinking cabernet this is. (3022 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Heitz Cellar Producer websiteCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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