Heater week; 3/26/2023-4/3/2023 (Chicago, IL): Quite good, but definitely starting to show a little long in the tooth. Not quite as eucalyptus as Heitz is renowned to be, but there's definitely a herbal green streak here. Black fruit and leathery textures, this is pretty classic, proper old Napa here. Nonetheless, I'd be inclined to drink this sooner than later.
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(During a tasting comparison with a 2016 vintage) The 1985v was brownish-red with a slightly watery rim. Granite, asparagus, cherry on the nose. On the palate old wood-paneling, tar, plum, red leaf lettuce. Soft tannins, and less acidity, but a bit sharper alcohol-wise then the 2016.
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Heitz Dinner w/the winemaker (Harry's NYC): This reminded me a lot of a vegetable garden, but in a good way. It's in the secondary and probably even tertiary space now. Lots of woodlands and spice and herbal. The age is there (given those flavors) but it doesn't actually come across as old. I liked it.
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Dark rich brooding well aged Napa CAB. Frankly exactly what I expected and perfect! Joe Heitz created great Bordeaux like beauty starting in the mid 80's. This 85 vintage included grapes from "Martha's plot". It only took 30+ years to prove that it was magic elixir!
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Reddish/orange color with noticeable bricking. Nose was primarily tobacco, leather and spice.
Completely integrated tannins and flavors that followed the nose. I found this wine quite beguiling and refined, but it is certainly on the downslope; my sense is that it probably peaked 5 years ago. Drink.
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Bought 2 cases upon release at winery directly from Joe Heitz. Forgot about it, pulled out a bottle for dinner with filet mignon -- no evaporation, perfect balance, great nose, smooth, dark garnet, blackberries, cherries, delicious perfection. Still have 15 bottles and will drink soon, but no rush necessary, this wine still has some time. A great surprise.
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ok but not up to our expectations for an old bottle of Heitz, drinkable but nothing notable, was easily bested by '85 and '86 phelps backs (neither of which was a great example of those wines either), $50 but won't buy again
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Medium color, some bricking. Nose opens with some leather, green olive and a hint of tobacco over cassis. Nice complexity for its age. Spicy peppery finish and mild tannins in a nice way. Aged nice and elegant, especially for a California wine. Many of my fine California wines from the 80's were wonderful but aged poorly. Wife says leather note is lovely. Flavors evolved nicely over the 2 hours we took to consume it. Was elegant and well structured and considering the price, I could not be happier with the way it aged. This bottle was so wonderful it changed my outlook on Heitz. Great job!!!
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Drank this bottle with friends with turkey and fixings at Thanksgiving. It was a perfect accompaniment for the meal -- an all-American wine of good age, muted nose but soft, smooth and fruity and still drinking well. Enjoyed by all.
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I fully expected this wine to be fit only for pouring down the drain. Upon opening, I was surprised by the fruity aromas. I decanted and was pleasantly surprised to see a nice ruby color, with only a little bit of amber tones around the edge of the glass. Upon tasting it, I was surprised by the amount of fruit remaining after all these years. In a blind tasting, I might mistake this for a wine from the mid to late 90s. For anyone out there still holding onto this one, I would say drink-up. It must be on the decline, but still close enough to its peak to provide a lot of drinking pleasure.
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Dark red with garnet tones. Complex nose of mint, cassis, cherry, hot tar, dill, hint of ciderl. Unexpectedly good balance of fresh acids and matured cabernet sauvignon sweet tannin, with olives, game bird, cassis, all topped with a minty zing. For an $11 original price bottle of cabernet, this is a joy with our lunch of Napoleon House roast beef sandwich. What a perfect way to celebrate another month of retirement. Bottle #6 of six.
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With K and Miranda at home at dinner (pasta with tomato sauce). Gorgeous black ruby color. Tremendous viscosity. Nose seems closed--or is it my sinuses? Great palate and elegant mouthfeel; chocolatey. Chewy, chunky. Great stuff. Drinkable, but will last too. 5-10-16-8: 89/100.
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With MPL and BLR at Brett's house. Great dark ruby color. Good viscosity. Nose is very nice. Plums, cassis, cocoa. Very good palate. Smooth, rich, well-balanced. Great chocolatey fruit. Excellent; I wish my palate wasn't off. 5-10-16-8: 89/100.
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With MPL and BLR at S&F survey of "killer" Cabs. Excellent deep ruby color. Very inviting, looks full, rich. Wonderful nose of chocolate, berries. Absolutely lovely. On the palate, initially excruciatingly tannic and hard, but showing plenty of promise with loads of underlying fruit. Should blossom beautifully in time. 5-12-14-8: 89/100.
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3/26/2023 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
Heater week; 3/26/2023-4/3/2023 (Chicago, IL): Quite good, but definitely starting to show a little long in the tooth. Not quite as eucalyptus as Heitz is renowned to be, but there's definitely a herbal green streak here. Black fruit and leathery textures, this is pretty classic, proper old Napa here. Nonetheless, I'd be inclined to drink this sooner than later.
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11/25/2021 - haltersweb Likes this wine:
(During a tasting comparison with a 2016 vintage) The 1985v was brownish-red with a slightly watery rim. Granite, asparagus, cherry on the nose. On the palate old wood-paneling, tar, plum, red leaf lettuce. Soft tannins, and less acidity, but a bit sharper alcohol-wise then the 2016.
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2/8/2021 - DaleW wrote:
More acid than tannin here, mature red fruit, Herbs, leaves on the forest floor. Fully mature, needs to be drunk up, but that’s no chore. B+
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12/19/2020 - Johnt@mtasupply.com wrote:
Amazing
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3/13/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Heitz Dinner w/the winemaker (Harry's NYC): This reminded me a lot of a vegetable garden, but in a good way. It's in the secondary and probably even tertiary space now. Lots of woodlands and spice and herbal. The age is there (given those flavors) but it doesn't actually come across as old. I liked it.
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1/30/2018 - bchodos wrote:
For being so over its prime time, this tasted exceptionally good. Soft as you would expect
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8/6/2017 - We Can Share the Wine wrote: flawed
Corked
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5/10/2017 - simba-mk@cox.net wrote: 92 Points
Nicely aged.
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7/30/2016 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark rich brooding well aged Napa CAB. Frankly exactly what I expected and perfect! Joe Heitz created great Bordeaux like beauty starting in the mid 80's. This 85 vintage included grapes from "Martha's plot". It only took 30+ years to prove that it was magic elixir!
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6/10/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Chicago Wine Flock...Gary Opens Cali Cab (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Late night pop and pour. Some others didn't notice, but this too was corked.
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4/8/2016 - CMN wrote:
Reddish/orange color with noticeable bricking. Nose was primarily tobacco, leather and spice.
Completely integrated tannins and flavors that followed the nose. I found this wine quite beguiling and refined, but it is certainly on the downslope; my sense is that it probably peaked 5 years ago. Drink.
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1/28/2015 - ngreer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bought 2 cases upon release at winery directly from Joe Heitz. Forgot about it, pulled out a bottle for dinner with filet mignon -- no evaporation, perfect balance, great nose, smooth, dark garnet, blackberries, cherries, delicious perfection. Still have 15 bottles and will drink soon, but no rush necessary, this wine still has some time. A great surprise.
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10/25/2012 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 88 Points
ok but not up to our expectations for an old bottle of Heitz, drinkable but nothing notable, was easily bested by '85 and '86 phelps backs (neither of which was a great example of those wines either), $50 but won't buy again
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3/3/2012 - Nyindallas wrote: 92 Points
Medium color, some bricking. Nose opens with some leather, green olive and a hint of tobacco over cassis. Nice complexity for its age. Spicy peppery finish and mild tannins in a nice way. Aged nice and elegant, especially for a California wine. Many of my fine California wines from the 80's were wonderful but aged poorly. Wife says leather note is lovely. Flavors evolved nicely over the 2 hours we took to consume it. Was elegant and well structured and considering the price, I could not be happier with the way it aged. This bottle was so wonderful it changed my outlook on Heitz. Great job!!!
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11/29/2011 - adanacsim wrote: 90 Points
Drank this bottle with friends with turkey and fixings at Thanksgiving. It was a perfect accompaniment for the meal -- an all-American wine of good age, muted nose but soft, smooth and fruity and still drinking well. Enjoyed by all.
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1/25/2011 - jajo seattle wrote: 90 Points
I fully expected this wine to be fit only for pouring down the drain. Upon opening, I was surprised by the fruity aromas. I decanted and was pleasantly surprised to see a nice ruby color, with only a little bit of amber tones around the edge of the glass. Upon tasting it, I was surprised by the amount of fruit remaining after all these years. In a blind tasting, I might mistake this for a wine from the mid to late 90s. For anyone out there still holding onto this one, I would say drink-up. It must be on the decline, but still close enough to its peak to provide a lot of drinking pleasure.
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9/15/2010 - Hodby wrote: 92 Points
Dark red with garnet tones. Complex nose of mint, cassis, cherry, hot tar, dill, hint of ciderl. Unexpectedly good balance of fresh acids and matured cabernet sauvignon sweet tannin, with olives, game bird, cassis, all topped with a minty zing. For an $11 original price bottle of cabernet, this is a joy with our lunch of Napoleon House roast beef sandwich. What a perfect way to celebrate another month of retirement. Bottle #6 of six.
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7/4/2008 - chad1616 wrote:
Unfortunately this wine had turned. It was fairly sour, and had no tanins or structure left.
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3/29/2003 - buckeye76 wrote: 91 Points
DEEP BLACKBERRIES AND CURRENTS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH A TOUCH OF EARTHINESS. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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3/12/1991 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 89 Points
With K and Miranda at home at dinner (pasta with tomato sauce). Gorgeous black ruby color. Tremendous viscosity. Nose seems closed--or is it my sinuses? Great palate and elegant mouthfeel; chocolatey. Chewy, chunky. Great stuff. Drinkable, but will last too. 5-10-16-8: 89/100.
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1/21/1991 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 89 Points
With MPL and BLR at Brett's house. Great dark ruby color. Good viscosity. Nose is very nice. Plums, cassis, cocoa. Very good palate. Smooth, rich, well-balanced. Great chocolatey fruit. Excellent; I wish my palate wasn't off. 5-10-16-8: 89/100.
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6/22/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 89 Points
With MPL and BLR at S&F survey of "killer" Cabs. Excellent deep ruby color. Very inviting, looks full, rich. Wonderful nose of chocolate, berries. Absolutely lovely. On the palate, initially excruciatingly tannic and hard, but showing plenty of promise with loads of underlying fruit. Should blossom beautifully in time. 5-12-14-8: 89/100.
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