1990 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks

Community Tasting Notes (13) Avg Score: 89.5 points

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  4/24/2022 - Cailles wrote: 91 Points

  48x 1990 (37x Bdx, 6x Napa, 5x others): Six Napa wines were added to this Bdx tasting. 1990 was not an overly exciting vintage in Napa Valley, clearly overshadowed by the 91/92/94 vintages. Almost all of the wines are past peak with not enough fruit left. In addition the vintages misses a bit of charm and creaminess and remains rather on the astringent side of things. The only star was the Heitz Martha’s Vineyard (94 pts) which showed complex, savoury, balanced and creamy with that typical Martha’s mint kick. Opus (92 pts) and Heitz Bella Oaks (91 pts) were still ok, while the La Jota Howell Mt (86 pts) and Simi Reserve (87 pts) and Latour Beaulieu Reserve (dead) were past peak.
  
  TN: Intense, aged Cali nose with very ripe dark berries, herbs, meaty notes which might turn shortly into soy sauce and broth. But right now still on the good side of things. Slightly alcoholic. On the palate a good freshness, nice herbs and minty freshness, some herbs and leather, some tobacco. A touch fresher and younger on the nose, good structural frame, nicely creamy, good length. 90/91 pts.
  
  Decanting: No decanting needed.

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  6/23/2016 - dkstar1 wrote: 89 Points

  This was pretty good, perhaps a little unbalanced and no longer showing classic Heitz appeal. Clearly at the end of its life. Drink up. Don't wait on these.

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  2/21/2016 - David J Cooper wrote: 80 Points

  This bottle seemed sweet and out of balance. No acid or tannin left to balance the sweet red fruit.

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  12/31/2014 - mplsbruin Likes this wine: 90 Points

  I recognized this as a younger wine (blind tasting of '83 to '95 vintages of Bordeaux and Calif cabs). Fruit and tannins evident. Of all the wines, this seemed different.
  Tasting the next day, no improvement noted. In fact, I liked it less.
  Ranked #2 of 7 in 2014 NYEve blind tasting (#1 '86 Phelps Napa cab, #3 '83 Prieure-Lichine). I ranked this as #3 of 7.

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  9/18/2014 - Wine_lvr wrote: 92 Points

  Heitz, Heitz, Heitz and Heitz: Tasting note to follow

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View all 13 Community Tasting Notes

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