Wine Workshop: Heitz Martha's Vineyard (The Dutch): Again just blown away by how good an 81 wine can be. This was special. It's got all of the bright black fruits but lots of secondary flavors as well - mint and spicy and peppery and overall just delicious. One of the group favorites and I think a surprise for a lot of different folks given how difficult of a vintage this was.
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Pre 1990 Cali Cab + 1981 Birthday Surprise! (Cowford Chophouse): Contender for WOTN, this was pretty amazing and maybe even rivals Grange for one of my most favorite from my birth year (which is a big statement as this is a single vineyard wine whereas Grange has vineyards from all over Australia to pull from to create the best wine of the year). That lovely blend of darker fruit and kindof a minty-eucalyptus style nose. I don't mind a hint of green in my wine and this has that for sure but in the most elegant manner.
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This was a killer bottle. It had a great cork and a great fill level. The nose was complex and explosive. Mint, rich dark fruit, herbs, tobacco, earth, leather, dried violet. Kept improving and actually becoming more fruit driven with air. The palate was still rich and bold, surprisingly young for a 40 year old wine though consistent with other bottles of this I've tasted. This could easily cruise for another decade if the cork seal holds. Excellent.
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This wine showed incredibly youthfully; the nose was classic Martha's with ripe cassis, blueberry, lots of mint, bay leaf, some tobacco, and some wood spice. The palate was dense and ripe, still quite youthful and seems like it could go another decade based on this showing. Great stuff.
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A little bit of funk and some eucalyptus on the expressive nose. Very youthful palate, resolved tannins but plenty of fruit that is fresh and complex. This shows little maturity and is a testament of how California cabs can age. Love it.
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37 years old and still going strong!! Decanted for an hour, beautiful aroma on the nose full of Carmel tobacco with a little cherry on the mid palette. Paired with New York strip that brought out even more flavors I’m so glad I still have another bottle.
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this was youthful for a 35 yr old wine, full-minus bodies with purple fruit and decent acidity, some rubber ball / plastic on the nose and less so on the pallet, nice body and will please both the 'elegant' crowd and the 'blockbuster' crowd -- will be a step away from each of their styles but both will say it is very very good
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Another enjoyable Martha's, even though its best days were obviously behind it. Showed a brownish-red color with a big note of eucalyptus on the nose along with dried cherry. Palate offered eucalyptus, dried red cherry and dried herbs marked by some off-putting astringency. Thankfully, the astringency blew off with more air, revealing a nice wine (dominated by eucalyptus) that gained some heft on the body. The tannins were fully resolved too, giving the weight a silky feel. Still held up well on day 2, though highly recommend to drink sooner rather than later as this one is on its way out.
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Not that spectacular as the 1974, but still a great wine but with too few air and decantation, cassis, dark berries, wood, more elegant than powerful and with decent eucalyptus aroma, long finish, miss the aha effect
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Tasted in double-blind fashion from a well-cellared bottle provided by D.B., this deep-to-opaque garnet wine shows moderately intense aromas of earth, tobacco, plum and eucalyptus. Full-bodied and with medium acidity, it delivers similar flavors on the palate. The alcohol (13%) shows no heat and the tannins are fully resolved. Solid in the middle and medium-length on the back end, it is a wine which has held up well but is undoubtedly past its prime. Drink up!
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Good fill, but a soft cork that came out with very soft "pop". This was a little bit tired, with a lot of cedar and ash and chocolate and only a hint of the trademark mint. Not a whole lot of fruit at first but gradually started to show some cassis with a bit of a citrusy edge. Nice wine but starting to dry out a touch and this particular bottle was likely better several years ago. Bottles with a tighter seal may show better.
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This bottle was out of magnum and the fill was terrific (still into neck). Pulled after a very long rest from my cellar for a dinner with some Bordeaux Owners (Second Growth). The nose was still very attractive, the eucalyptus still very prominent, but the rest is a bit more muddled, fruit leaving but secondary and tertiary notes not quite there yet. Perhaps not touched at the optimal time for the magnum. On the palate, the first thing you notice is the density of the wine. It must have been massive in its day. Today, it is dominated by the earth, tobacco, dark berries and some dried fruits. Tasted side by side interestingly with a 98 Barton and a 2000 Torbeck. Torbeck won out with its huge mass of fruit but the Martha's was in better shape than the Barton. If you have these in 750's, time to drink up.
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Much better on the nost than the palate, with its tobacco, earth, cassis, blackberry and leafy aromatics. On the palate, the cassis and cranberry finish did not remain long enough to hold my attention. It was a treat to taste this older, classic California Cabernet Sauvignon, but if I owned it, I'd opt for drinking this much sooner than later.
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Medium dark red-garnet. Distinctive nose of eucalyptus oil, cherry, dill, cedar, tobacco. Low tannin, low acidity. Rich and gamey in the mouth, this wine repeats the cherry-eucalyptus theme in the mouth with real intensity, and the cedar element is coming on increasingly at two hours - but alas, we've drained the bottle. Wonderful stuff. I miss Napa cabernet like this, made without 14% or more alcohol. Thank you Joe Heitz. Bottle #12 of twelve.
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Pulled the cork about one hour before pouring and drank over two and a half hours. Fill was above base of neck. Capsule spun freely with no outward sign of seepage. Cork was completely intact and wine creep was only about a fourth the way up with the end nicely layered in sediment: very nice sign. Pleasantly fresh aromas eminating from the bottle! Poured into Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru glass. Gorgeous garnet color with only the faintest hint of brick towards the edges. The bouquet is ripe berries mixed with cedar box, some spices and forest floor. Medium to full bodied with great, soft texture. Thirty years on, the tannins have held on nicely and I can't believe how well this has aged. It is remarkably youthful; a real delight to take in. That "Martha's Vineyard" mint that everyone talks about was present too. The only thing I would have done differently (and I chalk this up to lack of experience with Martha's Vineyard) would have been to take my time and let it develop over several more hours. If anyone is debating on whether or not to continue holding, I wouldn't hesitate to drink now; it's drinking so nicely! That being said, you could realistcally hold for at least a couple years more provided it has been stored as well as this bottle has...heck, you might even be able to hold longer. I will never again doubt the age-ability of truly world class Napa Valley wine. This was excellent.
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Excellent color, nose of mint with excellent mature Cabernet fruit. The wine is in perfect balance and is fully integrated at this point. It is definitely a pleasant surprise for an 1981! I have cellared this since original purchase at release 25 + years ago. Cork was tight with no deterioration, fill was perfect. If you have cellared this wine you are going to be pleased.
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Still fresh as a daisy. I had this from magnum a couple of years ago and that was great; this time was probably even fresher. If you like old Martha, drink this.
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Musty, though not evidently corky, with an old-attic smell and wincing alcohol -- not drinkable, though I'm not sure what went wrong here or whether it's atypical.
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Surprisingly balanced and far from dead. Still had good fruity characteristics. Did not de-cant, did not improve much over time, went downhill after a couple of hours.
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Black fruit and mushroom aromas. Multi-layered flavors on palate. Very subtle and nuanced, this isn't anywhere close to a blockbuster Cabernet, but quite elegant and charming. Probably peaked 5+ years ago but this should hold well for close to another decade.
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4/18/2024 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Showing age; lean with integrated tannin; light structure; smooth finish.
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3/13/2024 - paulst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lean and earthy with soft tannin and long light elegant blackberry.
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11/15/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep and structured; cherry-blackberry; rugged; long finish.
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4/25/2023 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 93 Points
Napa classic 1981 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard. Light-mid ruby, amber edges, some viscosity (13.5 alc.); red fruit, herbaceous, cassis, wood nose; low-mid acids; softening tannins; nice balance with the 13.5 alc.; semi-long, tasty red fruit and wood finish. 17-17.5 UC Davis scale, 92-93 others.
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3/16/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 98 Points
Sweet refined blackberry with some light raspberry; coarse; layered; soft tannin; semi-sweet long finish.
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2/2/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cedar and earth; raspberry and blackberry; soft tannin; balance; rustic finish.
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12/16/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cedar; balanced; raspberry-cherry; long finish.
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11/19/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Earth; leather; deep cherry; coarse; complex; ever changing; long finish with complex flavors.
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6/7/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Workshop: Heitz Martha's Vineyard (The Dutch): Again just blown away by how good an 81 wine can be. This was special. It's got all of the bright black fruits but lots of secondary flavors as well - mint and spicy and peppery and overall just delicious. One of the group favorites and I think a surprise for a lot of different folks given how difficult of a vintage this was.
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5/12/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Pre 1990 Cali Cab + 1981 Birthday Surprise! (Cowford Chophouse): Contender for WOTN, this was pretty amazing and maybe even rivals Grange for one of my most favorite from my birth year (which is a big statement as this is a single vineyard wine whereas Grange has vineyards from all over Australia to pull from to create the best wine of the year). That lovely blend of darker fruit and kindof a minty-eucalyptus style nose. I don't mind a hint of green in my wine and this has that for sure but in the most elegant manner.
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8/20/2021 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
This was a killer bottle. It had a great cork and a great fill level. The nose was complex and explosive. Mint, rich dark fruit, herbs, tobacco, earth, leather, dried violet. Kept improving and actually becoming more fruit driven with air. The palate was still rich and bold, surprisingly young for a 40 year old wine though consistent with other bottles of this I've tasted. This could easily cruise for another decade if the cork seal holds. Excellent.
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4/10/2021 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
This wine showed incredibly youthfully; the nose was classic Martha's with ripe cassis, blueberry, lots of mint, bay leaf, some tobacco, and some wood spice. The palate was dense and ripe, still quite youthful and seems like it could go another decade based on this showing. Great stuff.
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10/13/2019 - llink wrote: 92 Points
A little bit of funk and some eucalyptus on the expressive nose. Very youthful palate, resolved tannins but plenty of fruit that is fresh and complex. This shows little maturity and is a testament of how California cabs can age. Love it.
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3/13/2019 - MC2 Wines wrote: flawed
Heitz Dinner w/the winemaker (Harry's NYC): Bummer.
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10/14/2018 - Tmoney018 Likes this wine: 94 Points
37 years old and still going strong!! Decanted for an hour, beautiful aroma on the nose full of Carmel tobacco with a little cherry on the mid palette. Paired with New York strip that brought out even more flavors I’m so glad I still have another bottle.
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10/3/2017 - G_H wrote: 94 Points
Great length, eucalyptus, gas station, licorice, awesome stuff, absolutely one of the best 1981 there are!
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1/19/2017 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
this was youthful for a 35 yr old wine, full-minus bodies with purple fruit and decent acidity, some rubber ball / plastic on the nose and less so on the pallet, nice body and will please both the 'elegant' crowd and the 'blockbuster' crowd -- will be a step away from each of their styles but both will say it is very very good
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7/17/2016 - wineaux2 wrote:
Another enjoyable Martha's, even though its best days were obviously behind it. Showed a brownish-red color with a big note of eucalyptus on the nose along with dried cherry. Palate offered eucalyptus, dried red cherry and dried herbs marked by some off-putting astringency. Thankfully, the astringency blew off with more air, revealing a nice wine (dominated by eucalyptus) that gained some heft on the body. The tannins were fully resolved too, giving the weight a silky feel. Still held up well on day 2, though highly recommend to drink sooner rather than later as this one is on its way out.
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4/12/2015 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not that spectacular as the 1974, but still a great wine but with too few air and decantation, cassis, dark berries, wood, more elegant than powerful and with decent eucalyptus aroma, long finish, miss the aha effect
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12/19/2014 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 88 Points
Tasted in double-blind fashion from a well-cellared bottle provided by D.B., this deep-to-opaque garnet wine shows moderately intense aromas of earth, tobacco, plum and eucalyptus. Full-bodied and with medium acidity, it delivers similar flavors on the palate. The alcohol (13%) shows no heat and the tannins are fully resolved. Solid in the middle and medium-length on the back end, it is a wine which has held up well but is undoubtedly past its prime. Drink up!
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5/21/2014 - coremill wrote: 89 Points
Good fill, but a soft cork that came out with very soft "pop". This was a little bit tired, with a lot of cedar and ash and chocolate and only a hint of the trademark mint. Not a whole lot of fruit at first but gradually started to show some cassis with a bit of a citrusy edge. Nice wine but starting to dry out a touch and this particular bottle was likely better several years ago. Bottles with a tighter seal may show better.
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2/23/2014 - TheEngineer Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was out of magnum and the fill was terrific (still into neck). Pulled after a very long rest from my cellar for a dinner with some Bordeaux Owners (Second Growth). The nose was still very attractive, the eucalyptus still very prominent, but the rest is a bit more muddled, fruit leaving but secondary and tertiary notes not quite there yet. Perhaps not touched at the optimal time for the magnum. On the palate, the first thing you notice is the density of the wine. It must have been massive in its day. Today, it is dominated by the earth, tobacco, dark berries and some dried fruits. Tasted side by side interestingly with a 98 Barton and a 2000 Torbeck. Torbeck won out with its huge mass of fruit but the Martha's was in better shape than the Barton. If you have these in 750's, time to drink up.
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11/30/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 88 Points
Much better on the nost than the palate, with its tobacco, earth, cassis, blackberry and leafy aromatics. On the palate, the cassis and cranberry finish did not remain long enough to hold my attention. It was a treat to taste this older, classic California Cabernet Sauvignon, but if I owned it, I'd opt for drinking this much sooner than later.
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8/26/2012 - Itriolo wrote:
Fruit gone and disappointingly simple - a dusty mint flavor is all that remains.
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10/25/2011 - Hodby wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark red-garnet. Distinctive nose of eucalyptus oil, cherry, dill, cedar, tobacco. Low tannin, low acidity. Rich and gamey in the mouth, this wine repeats the cherry-eucalyptus theme in the mouth with real intensity, and the cedar element is coming on increasingly at two hours - but alas, we've drained the bottle. Wonderful stuff. I miss Napa cabernet like this, made without 14% or more alcohol. Thank you Joe Heitz. Bottle #12 of twelve.
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6/11/2011 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pulled the cork about one hour before pouring and drank over two and a half hours. Fill was above base of neck. Capsule spun freely with no outward sign of seepage. Cork was completely intact and wine creep was only about a fourth the way up with the end nicely layered in sediment: very nice sign. Pleasantly fresh aromas eminating from the bottle! Poured into Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru glass. Gorgeous garnet color with only the faintest hint of brick towards the edges. The bouquet is ripe berries mixed with cedar box, some spices and forest floor. Medium to full bodied with great, soft texture. Thirty years on, the tannins have held on nicely and I can't believe how well this has aged. It is remarkably youthful; a real delight to take in. That "Martha's Vineyard" mint that everyone talks about was present too. The only thing I would have done differently (and I chalk this up to lack of experience with Martha's Vineyard) would have been to take my time and let it develop over several more hours. If anyone is debating on whether or not to continue holding, I wouldn't hesitate to drink now; it's drinking so nicely! That being said, you could realistcally hold for at least a couple years more provided it has been stored as well as this bottle has...heck, you might even be able to hold longer. I will never again doubt the age-ability of truly world class Napa Valley wine. This was excellent.
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12/26/2010 - gbynum wrote: 92 Points
Excellent color, nose of mint with excellent mature Cabernet fruit. The wine is in perfect balance and is fully integrated at this point. It is definitely a pleasant surprise for an 1981! I have cellared this since original purchase at release 25 + years ago. Cork was tight with no deterioration, fill was perfect. If you have cellared this wine you are going to be pleased.
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4/22/2010 - kmforster wrote: 91 Points
Still fresh as a daisy. I had this from magnum a couple of years ago and that was great; this time was probably even fresher. If you like old Martha, drink this.
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8/1/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Musty, though not evidently corky, with an old-attic smell and wincing alcohol -- not drinkable, though I'm not sure what went wrong here or whether it's atypical.
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12/29/2007 - sw92130 wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly balanced and far from dead. Still had good fruity characteristics. Did not de-cant, did not improve much over time, went downhill after a couple of hours.
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5/5/2002 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Black fruit and mushroom aromas. Multi-layered flavors on palate. Very subtle and nuanced, this isn't anywhere close to a blockbuster Cabernet, but quite elegant and charming. Probably peaked 5+ years ago but this should hold well for close to another decade.
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2/24/1988 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 88 Points
Client Luncheon Tasting.
Ready now.
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