1984 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks

Community Tasting Notes (12) Median Score: 90 points

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  4/20/2024 - csimm wrote: 93 Points

  This must have been a perfectly stored bottle, because it was completely singing with beautifully balanced fruit, flowing with macerated black cherry, plum, and orange rind flavors. Not tired by a long shot, with a smooth finish that never even hinted at being bitter or clipped. Bits of soil and cedar notes circled the core, but kept in their respective tertiary lanes without overpowering the fruit.
  
  There is no way I thought this was a 40 year old wine, let alone from Napa… and especially from an inferior vintage. It was actually fresh and clean. It was a trip. I mean, this might have been a one in one hundred type of bottle at this point, especially given some of the ‘dirtier’ tasting notes from others on this bottling. But today, with this bottle, in this flash of time, it was super cool.
  
  I like wines like this that challenge my perceptions about certain styles, types, or appellations. The only reason I wouldn’t seek out more of these is due to the high likelihood that they would be inferior or blasted bottles. This was served next to a 2021 Bella Oaks, which made for a fun discussion about the evolution and history of the region and the wines.

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  4/13/2024 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 96 Points

  Birth wine year, not blind and my score is very biased because of that. LOL Realistically, it was probably a 94. Decided to bring this because I knew Bella Oaks was going to show up at some point and wanted to pop this alongside it. Cork was in amazing condition. This wine was amazing! 84’ was not considered a good year in terms of the 80s in Napa, but man did this wine show well. For 40 years, this wine still had some fruit in it. Tannins fully resolved and was drinking so well. Might be the best 30+ year Napa wine I have ever had. To have this alongside the 2021 Bella Oaks was just mind bending. 3 bottles left and I would be happy if one of them is holding up like this one. Cross fingers.

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  4/13/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Eyes Wide Shut - Day 1 (A quiet place): Nose: Soft cranberries, a really subtle soy note, damp earth and slightly damp tree bark.
  
  Palate: Great dark red fruits with a bit of shine, giving it a lift, showing no kind of age. Beautiful integration of tannin where it just shows no kind of flatness or harshness. Awesome purity and grace here.
  
  This has to be one of those good bottles where it was stored perfectly, with little to no bottle variation. This is what I look for in aged wine, where it doesn't just dive straight into the tertiary realm and knows how to preserve its precious, tasty fruit. It's kinda rare to come across perfectly preserved bottles like these. This reminds me of the '61 Lalande so much. Ugh, just so beautiful and graceful.

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  4/30/2021 - Rainbow88 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  dark crimson color, no bricking ; Dark cherries and eucalyptus on the nose ; cherry flavor and wood on the palate; smooth tannins and balanced acidity; short finish . This 37 years old American seductress is still very sultry and fresh .

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  7/13/2018 - Blackacre wrote: 68 Points

  Cherry smell medicinal
  Short front palate vinegar finish high acid
  Orange dark hue

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