Napa, Calif., Heitz 1986 Bella Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon. Light-mid ruby, amber edges (13.5 alc.); leather, red fruit, old wood, dried leaves, herbaceous nose; low-mid acids; low-mid tannins; semi-long old world leather and cedar finish. Past its prime a bit. 16-16.5 UC Davis scale, 90-91 others.
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Bottled in August 1990. Bottle #35518 of total 59688 bottles. 13,5% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat translucent and quite concentrated dark ruby red color with a developed rusty hue and a pale brick-orange rim. Savory and very tertiary nose with aromas of sweet plummy fruit, some raisiny tones, a little bit of savory oak spice, light developed notes of dried figs, an oxidative hint of soy sauce and a sweet, lifted touch of balsamic VA. The wine is dry, dense and full-bodied on the palate with a rather chewy texture and quite tertiary flavors of sour cherries, crunchy redcurrants and sweeter forest fruits, some amaro bitterness and minty green tones, a little bit of licorice, light oxidative notes of soy sauce, a gamey hint of meat and a lifted touch of balsamic VA. The wine is enjoyably high in acidity, but the tannins have resolved fully and become almost nonexistent. The finish is dry, long and very subtly grippy with complex, tertiary flavors of soy sauce and hoi-sin, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of gamey meat, light earthy tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of wizened blackcurrants.
A very developed and rather tertiary Napa Cab that has started to go downhill. There is some fruit left here and the wine is still quite enjoyable with some nice sense of complexity, but the tannic structure has softened to the point that the wine is coming across as a bit too soft, and the fruit department has dried up for the most part, turning rather pruney. Most likely the wine was just opened 10 years too late. Still relatively good stuff, but obviously isn't showing its best anymore. If you have any bottles, this is better drunk sooner rather than later.
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Compared this to a 2003 Bella Oaks and a 1999 Heitz Napa Cab. 86 was a pretty good year for Napa cab. Comparing itself to these two above, this one is starting to show its age (no surprise there). This bottle still has great structure, fading fruit. Starting to show some vegetal notes, a little bit of a brett-ish quality. But the blackberry is definitely more "grandma's closet" kind of fruit. Still gets a solid score from me at 32 years of age!
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Tasted from multiple bottles, all from magnum formats, during several days. The wines are fresh and very Bordeaux like. The color has a dark maroon color that becomes translucent at the edges. Aromas of macerated cherries, tobacco, cedar, and leather. Palate is rich with fresh plums and silky. Delicious.
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Hallmarks of a very mature red wine. Still drinking well. I recommend slow-ox to give it the air it needs to be wonderful. It will last a couple hours in the glass but not much longer.
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California (Private Location): Nose: Iron, blood, a bit of oak, wet earth. With more time in the glass I recognize more red fruit notes alongside some eucalyptus. A subtle, not a "in your face" nose. Maybe the most elegant one in the whole tasting. Palate: Although this wine is nearly 30 years old, the acid is still super lively. Tannins are nearly full integrated but still recognizable. Medium body, good tension on the mid-palate, medium+ finish with great red fruit aromas. For me the best wine of the evening to drink RIGHT now.
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Ripe California Wines (Private Location): *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting *** Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah Wine: Double decanted Clear, medium+ ruby/garnet color. Clean, medium- intense and fully developed nose with typical CabSauv notes from BDX. Dry with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins which were very well integrated. Medium alcohol and a medium+ body. Lots of licorice and red fruits on the medium+ finish. Very good wine, it might stay at this level for some more years but wan’t develop any more. So enjoy drinking!
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Generously shared by my friend Clarence. Cork broke and we had to push the last small bit in and filter it out later. Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, garnet colour. Long legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, sweet earthy aroma that is warm and comforting. Also aromas of toasted oak and ripe black fruit. Developed nose, well integrated. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high tannins that are already quite velvety, high alcohol, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with lots of primary fruit pretty much alive - ripe black fruits (blackberry and black cherry). Also other flavours of leather and sweet earth. Long finish. I guessed this was a high quality 15+ year old Brunello from a warm and ripe vintage. Surprised to find a 1986 Napa Cabernet. Very nice. Outstanding quality. Drink now, but can still keep well for another 4-5 years. Fruits alive and kicking.
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pop n pour:slight earthy nose.spice.palate:amazing freshness of red fruits dominate.firm wine.bright with ernergy despite 20 plus yrs in the bttl.good concentration of red fruits.pretty nice intensity with some smoky n slight toast.decent finishing.show some capsicum here too.show onli slight tertiary notes some floral n minerality.in the beiginning frm the bttl.frm the decanter:gets denser n more complex showing black fruits.conclusion:i reali find tis bttl is simply amazing with so much life ahead showing show much fresh fruits despite such a back vintage.with more tertiary notes wil definitely gve tis wine more complexity.if u hve last bttl,my advice keep for another 3 to 5 yrs.in spore,i wud like to call tis bttl "no horse run".keke
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This bottle showed very faint TCA, just enough to make it tough to drink. Too bad, as there was otherwise an underlying berry pie quality to this wine that seemed very promising.
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Opened for my wife's birthday, we have had this bottle for 16 years but it was a gift bought in PA, so hard to know about storage prior....reminescent of aged BDX in terms of cedar adn cigar but it does drink short and the fruit is limited...OK for what it is but did not do much for me
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At Joe's Seafood in Chicago from magnum so no formal notes. Terrific color and nice nose of red and black fruits with some eucalyptus. Still a good deal of fruit left with black cherries and black currants with some earth. Wonderful bottle.
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I opened one of two bottles in my cellar after tasting the Marthas earlier in the week. On the nose was a touch of mint, earth, and dark cherry fruit, more of the same in the mouth with a hint of white pepper, medium/big body compared to the Marthas, tasty, long, long finish. Easier to drink this wine and age the Marthas.
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With Said Abuzayyad, Terry O'Hara, Lori Kish, and Lance Smith at Stars restaurant after the firm's St. Francis Yacht Club dinner. Dark ruby. Coats the glass. Viscous. Good fruit in the nose. Good core of cassis and mint. Licorice. Flavor is dark chocolate; elegant and rich. Tannic finish. Good wine. 5-11-15-7: 88/100.
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At Singer & Foy survey of '86 Cabs with BLR and MPL. Medium-dark ruby. This nose is objectionable too. Bubble gum, musty. Green. Only marginally better than the "Napa." Oaky, tough, with few redeeming qualities. How can there be such a gulf between these wines and the "Martha's?" 5-6-8-3: 72/100.
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2/1/2023 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 90 Points
Napa, Calif., Heitz 1986 Bella Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon. Light-mid ruby, amber edges (13.5 alc.); leather, red fruit, old wood, dried leaves, herbaceous nose; low-mid acids; low-mid tannins; semi-long old world leather and cedar finish. Past its prime a bit. 16-16.5 UC Davis scale, 90-91 others.
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2/19/2020 - forceberry wrote: 87 Points
Bottled in August 1990. Bottle #35518 of total 59688 bottles. 13,5% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat translucent and quite concentrated dark ruby red color with a developed rusty hue and a pale brick-orange rim. Savory and very tertiary nose with aromas of sweet plummy fruit, some raisiny tones, a little bit of savory oak spice, light developed notes of dried figs, an oxidative hint of soy sauce and a sweet, lifted touch of balsamic VA. The wine is dry, dense and full-bodied on the palate with a rather chewy texture and quite tertiary flavors of sour cherries, crunchy redcurrants and sweeter forest fruits, some amaro bitterness and minty green tones, a little bit of licorice, light oxidative notes of soy sauce, a gamey hint of meat and a lifted touch of balsamic VA. The wine is enjoyably high in acidity, but the tannins have resolved fully and become almost nonexistent. The finish is dry, long and very subtly grippy with complex, tertiary flavors of soy sauce and hoi-sin, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of gamey meat, light earthy tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of wizened blackcurrants.
A very developed and rather tertiary Napa Cab that has started to go downhill. There is some fruit left here and the wine is still quite enjoyable with some nice sense of complexity, but the tannic structure has softened to the point that the wine is coming across as a bit too soft, and the fruit department has dried up for the most part, turning rather pruney. Most likely the wine was just opened 10 years too late. Still relatively good stuff, but obviously isn't showing its best anymore. If you have any bottles, this is better drunk sooner rather than later.
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6/24/2018 - glucker wrote:
- Crimsom color.
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3/24/2018 - mflesh wrote: 92 Points
Compared this to a 2003 Bella Oaks and a 1999 Heitz Napa Cab. 86 was a pretty good year for Napa cab. Comparing itself to these two above, this one is starting to show its age (no surprise there). This bottle still has great structure, fading fruit. Starting to show some vegetal notes, a little bit of a brett-ish quality. But the blackberry is definitely more "grandma's closet" kind of fruit. Still gets a solid score from me at 32 years of age!
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9/4/2017 - glucker wrote: 92 Points
- Crimsom color and has flavours of coffee - Drinking well.Probably at its peak.Will level off for a a few more years.
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8/9/2017 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 95 Points
Tasted from multiple bottles, all from magnum formats, during several days. The wines are fresh and very Bordeaux like. The color has a dark maroon color that becomes translucent at the edges. Aromas of macerated cherries, tobacco, cedar, and leather. Palate is rich with fresh plums and silky. Delicious.
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4/10/2017 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 91 Points
shows its age, nutty walnut oil, high toned acidity, sour skin fruits, dried tobacco/herbs, actually darkened up later on in the night.
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11/19/2016 - glucker wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful nose.Was soft with long aftertaste.Drinking well now.
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7/31/2016 - tmhouse wrote: 92 Points
Hallmarks of a very mature red wine. Still drinking well. I recommend slow-ox to give it the air it needs to be wonderful. It will last a couple hours in the glass but not much longer.
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4/24/2015 - m_arcon wrote: 93 Points
California (Private Location): Nose: Iron, blood, a bit of oak, wet earth. With more time in the glass I recognize more red fruit notes alongside some eucalyptus. A subtle, not a "in your face" nose. Maybe the most elegant one in the whole tasting.
Palate: Although this wine is nearly 30 years old, the acid is still super lively. Tannins are nearly full integrated but still recognizable. Medium body, good tension on the mid-palate, medium+ finish with great red fruit aromas. For me the best wine of the evening to drink RIGHT now.
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4/24/2015 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 92 Points
Ripe California Wines (Private Location): *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
Wine: Double decanted
Clear, medium+ ruby/garnet color. Clean, medium- intense and fully developed nose with typical CabSauv notes from BDX.
Dry with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins which were very well integrated. Medium alcohol and a medium+ body. Lots of licorice and red fruits on the medium+ finish.
Very good wine, it might stay at this level for some more years but wan’t develop any more. So enjoy drinking!
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10/23/2014 - mavictorpinho wrote:
Nice
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4/26/2014 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine: 95 Points
Generously shared by my friend Clarence. Cork broke and we had to push the last small bit in and filter it out later.
Tasted blind. Pop and poured.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, garnet colour. Long legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, sweet earthy aroma that is warm and comforting. Also aromas of toasted oak and ripe black fruit. Developed nose, well integrated.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high tannins that are already quite velvety, high alcohol, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with lots of primary fruit pretty much alive - ripe black fruits (blackberry and black cherry). Also other flavours of leather and sweet earth. Long finish.
I guessed this was a high quality 15+ year old Brunello from a warm and ripe vintage. Surprised to find a 1986 Napa Cabernet. Very nice.
Outstanding quality. Drink now, but can still keep well for another 4-5 years. Fruits alive and kicking.
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4/4/2014 - clairenclarence wrote: 91 Points
pop n pour:slight earthy nose.spice.palate:amazing freshness of red fruits dominate.firm wine.bright with ernergy despite 20 plus yrs in the bttl.good concentration of red fruits.pretty nice intensity with some smoky n slight toast.decent finishing.show some capsicum here too.show onli slight tertiary notes some floral n minerality.in the beiginning frm the bttl.frm the decanter:gets denser n more complex showing black fruits.conclusion:i reali find tis bttl is simply amazing with so much life ahead showing show much fresh fruits despite such a back vintage.with more tertiary notes wil definitely gve tis wine more complexity.if u hve last bttl,my advice keep for another 3 to 5 yrs.in spore,i wud like to call tis bttl "no horse run".keke
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12/31/2011 - texag96 wrote: 92 Points
Good life and lots of fruit. Short finish and probably time to drink whatever is left. Nice color and just a bit of bricking on the edges.
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9/25/2011 - petitblanc wrote: flawed
This bottle showed very faint TCA, just enough to make it tough to drink. Too bad, as there was otherwise an underlying berry pie quality to this wine that seemed very promising.
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8/2/2011 - Mr T wrote:
Opened for my wife's birthday, we have had this bottle for 16 years but it was a gift bought in PA, so hard to know about storage prior....reminescent of aged BDX in terms of cedar adn cigar but it does drink short and the fruit is limited...OK for what it is but did not do much for me
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1/7/2011 - Brsed wrote: 93 Points
At Joe's Seafood in Chicago from magnum so no formal notes. Terrific color and nice nose of red and black fruits with some eucalyptus. Still a good deal of fruit left with black cherries and black currants with some earth. Wonderful bottle.
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11/27/2010 - G_H Likes this wine: 90 Points
Heitz and deer (Heitz und Hirsch mit René Gabriel) (Restaurant Sempacherhof): Berries, cassis, tomatoes, cinnamon... good wine
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9/5/2010 - rpenn77 wrote: 92 Points
Cedar and cigar box on the nose. Silky refined tannins. Just a little thin on the mouthfeel
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1/29/2009 - ticktock wrote: 91 Points
Deep and rich. We loved it, however it feels to be at a presumable peak.
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1/12/2008 - M DU VIN wrote: 90 Points
Fruit is still there and tannins totally tamed. I very nice, mature cabernet. Should hold for a few mor eyears.
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2/9/1992 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 88 Points
I opened one of two bottles in my cellar after tasting the Marthas earlier in the week. On the nose was a touch of mint, earth, and dark cherry fruit, more of the same in the mouth with a hint of white pepper, medium/big body compared to the Marthas, tasty, long, long finish. Easier to drink this wine and age the Marthas.
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7/26/1991 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 88 Points
With Said Abuzayyad, Terry O'Hara, Lori Kish, and Lance Smith at Stars restaurant after the firm's St. Francis Yacht Club dinner. Dark ruby. Coats the glass. Viscous. Good fruit in the nose. Good core of cassis and mint. Licorice. Flavor is dark chocolate; elegant and rich. Tannic finish. Good wine. 5-11-15-7: 88/100.
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5/3/1991 - MicklethePickle Does not like this wine: 72 Points
At Singer & Foy survey of '86 Cabs with BLR and MPL. Medium-dark ruby. This nose is objectionable too. Bubble gum, musty. Green. Only marginally better than the "Napa." Oaky, tough, with few redeeming qualities. How can there be such a gulf between these wines and the "Martha's?" 5-6-8-3: 72/100.
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