First wine note in a year++, this was such a delightful surprise to the upside. CT shows drinking window 2025-2100! Wow. Blind, this wine would be difficult to identify as Napa, definitely old-world characteristics. Took 2-3 hours to open so recommend decanting. Gorgeous, one of my top favorite Napas (alongside Dominus) with the nose developing over time with cigar box, baking spice, black fruit (black tea?) and perhaps a hint of the signature Eucalyptus. Wine feels in the drinking window, to me, with lovely texture and finish. I'm going to look for more 70s and 80s Heitz, pricey but worth it vis-a-vis classic Bordeaux. Cheers!!
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Superb effort from Heitz. Nearly 40 year old wine that is just humming. PNP, cork looked great. Not faded on rim of wine and busting with old world and old Napa flavor (cigar, tobacco, wood forest, dark black fruit, cassis). Just a f'ing wonderful wine.
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A fabulous example of an aged, classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine kicks off with a blast of cherries, cocoa, tobacco leaf and a sprig of mint. Full, deep and chewy, the dark cherries and plums on the back end kept on going. It’s hard to believe this is almost 40 years of age. Drink from 2023-2035.
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Much better than the average score here, this has all the characteristics of a great bottle of MV. Deep complex fruit, excellent balance, and minty notes. An excellent drink, thanks Pav
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Napa 2023: the quieter version; 2/6/2023-2/11/2023 (Napa/Sonoma California): A wine that I thought was great from the beginning but did seem to get better and better in the glass. Really impressive. It’s got the eucalyptus and the darker fruits and the more secondary style and very well balanced and structured. Drinking great.
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Wine Workshop: Heitz Martha's Vineyard (The Dutch): Slight change-up and so the '85 ended up in the first flight and the '86 in the second. Both great wines. The 85 is almost slightly sweet blackberry, brambly, a bit more woodsy in style. It's drinking quite nicely. A wine that I kept revisiting throughout the dinner.
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This winery re-release of the 1985 Heitz Martha's Vineyard spent three decades in neutral oak casks prior to bottling a few years ago. Today, it successfully masquerades as a much younger wine. Deeply hued with minimal bricking and no signs of oxidation or "old wine funk," it revealed its age on the palate, where the tannins are fully resolved, and eventually on the nose, where subtle notes of dark chocolate, leather, and earth emerge after about an hour in the decanter. Of course, this being classic Martha's, the overall impressions are of cassis and eucalyptus, a silky texture, a satisfying finish, and a wine at its absolute peak. Drink re-releases over the next few years, original bottlings ASAP.
This wine surprised me. From a 750 ML bought at release and cellar stored since purchase. Perfect interpretation of an older Cal Cab. All the fruit and Cal Cab flavors you would expect without the tannins. Did not taste or look old. The wine looks crimson colored. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis) and flint. It tastes like a rich cab of black currant (cassis) with a little earthiness. The body is medium/full. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has low acidity.
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Purple black, with nose of black tea, this wine is tight at inception then opens up to black plum, stewed prune and a healthy dose of eucalyptus touched with oregano and a drying note of basil. Enjoyed with lamb chops. Amazing vitality for a 36 year-old wine.
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Wine Diner (Ada St): Text book, mature and singing wine. So much mint and eucalyptus in the aromas and on the palate. Fresh plum fruit for days with well integrated balancing structure. No hurry, but I’d drink in 5-10 years.
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"Drink it while it's delicious" (Chicago, IL): In theory, I should actually like the Heitz Martha's very much, but the eucalyptus/mint note on this wine has always been a little too much for me. This bottle's eucalyptus note was off-the-charts prominent to the point where I think it took away from some of the other nice elements on the nose. The palate shows archetypal sweet black fruit from Napa; the back end demonstrates that this wine is fully mature.
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Unbelievably young. Deep garnet color with very little bricking. Tertiary aromas, but cedar, mint, dried plum and cassis were present. Highly recommended and I am grateful for old heitz!!
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Yes it has the mint and yes it rings true to Heitz Martha's flavor expectations. I think you could pick this out in a crowd. Really a pleasure to drink.
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I bought this from a friend 5 years ago and put in my cellar. I thought it must be going bad. What a pleasant surprise. Initial nose of aged cellar but mellow vegetable initially on the pállate. Still drinking very well
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From virtually perfect looking bottle, this wine had a very deep red center with red/orange rims. The medium intensity nose displayed over-ripe plums, soy, figs, and dark soil at first. As the wine aired it firmed up a bit (not so over-ripe) and developed some classic mint notes.
In the mouth, This wine was very rich textured but with firm acidity and mild rounded tannin. Its noteworthy structure balanced against the super-ripe fruit created a dramatic mouthfeel that screamed New World. While a somewhat "spikey" structural element in the mid palate detracted from the overall creamy mouthfeel, it did moderate after 3+ hours of air.
I found this relatively extreme wine enjoyable but it is not for everybody. My visualization is an elephant on a unicycle. I doubt it will improve from here as I don't think it has the balance of the 74.
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Mildly corked, but just enough to notice and it didn’t get better with time. A disappointment, as I’ve never had an old Martha’s before.. still can get some of the eucalyptus in it though!
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Dinner w Tom F at the Village Pub in Menlo area...great spot, corkage friendly and knowledgeable staff. Had them decant this, fill to the bottom neck. Drank after a Domaine Dublere (white burgundy)
Consistnet w/prior notes: "Color is a brick red, clear and vibrant. Nose is very Bordeaux-like, cherries/red fruits, mint/eucalyptus. From prior notes: "Palate is old red fruits, cherries, earth/cedar, vanilla, oak, blackberry, chocolate. Finish was spectacular, layered and complex - bringing out secondary flavors..."
The signature Martha's eucalyptus was really notable here, and got more fragrant as the wine opened. Color and texture still elegant.
This wine has been consistently good in my last few tastings. Last few bottles suggest it will still go a while...really well made, wonder if they ever thought the wine would last this long?..:)still drinking well at 33 years and should make it to 40...a few bottles left, great stuff
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Surprisingly tight for a wine that is 32 years old. If you have this bottle I might suggest decanting it for a couple of hours before consuming. It was a pnp for me to celebrate Astros world series win that night and while clearly a great bottle of Heitz martha..more eucalyptus than mint on this one and some great dark fruits. Tannin's are gone but it still felt like this wine was holding back. Could probably last another 10-20 years in your cellar. I wil revisit with a nice decant next time.
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Pop and poured. Full fill. Bottle in Pristine condition. Dark crimson in the glass. No sign of bricking. Big nose of red berries and liquorice immediately upon open. Structure remains firm and layered. Very sweet and fruity especially consider the age. A hint of mint and some herbal notes. Very clean and crisp. Absolutely loved this.
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Beautiful nose of eucalyptus and blackberries. Silky and so perfectly mature on the palate. Less powerful now and all about finesse with a wonderfully pungent taste of sweet eucalyptus along with flavors of black licorice and black currants. Finishes soft and ultra-complex with wonderful earth and spice notes. This doesn't have the power of the '74 but it comes damn close to that wine's complexity. Fabulous!
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Classic California Cabernet Sauvignon that provides great drinking today. If this was blind I would have guessed it was at lest 10-15 years younger than its true age. Slightly rustic, with some green, (olive, herb & mint) the wine still delivers a blast of blackberry, spice, earth and cedar that lingers. I liked this wine a lot!
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Duration: 3 hours Condition: perfect but a rather soft cork Aroma: pepper, earthy, violet, darkberries Notes: the palate is a little imbalanced and overall the wine wasn't well integrated. A bit disappointing I have to say. Perhaps it's with the bottle because at some point I thought it was corked but later recovered.
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Opened this to have with the Christmas Prime Rib Roast. The fill was high shoulder. Cork soft but I was able to get it out cleanly. On first blush, nose is classic Martha's, with obvious minty eucalyptus notes. Still a bit of grip on the sides of the tongue. Mature old red stone fruits and a bright but somewhat short finish. Still, an epic wine and I'm glad I have one more bottle. I won't wait long, this is at if not slightly past its prime. Looking forward to see how it opens with a little air and how it pairs with the roast beef.
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PWTG Vertical Flight of Heitz Martha's (83, 84, 85 AND 86) Group's #1 My #1 Beautiful restrained nose showing cassis, dust and eucalyptus. Rich, sweet cassis fruit on the palate, but a very classic/old world restrained richness unlike modern cabs. Stunning balance and poise, this wine was really special and at 31 years old showing that the lower alcohol old school Napa cabs age wonderfully.
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Color is a brick red, clear and vibrant. Nose is very Bordeaux-like, cherries/red fruits, mint/eucalyptus. From prior notes: "Palate is old red fruits, cherries, earth/cedar, vanilla, oak, blackberry, chocolate. Finish was spectacular, layered and complex - bringing out secondary flavors..."
This was the star of the show for me. If tasted blind we all agreed we would have pegged this as a left bank wine. Typical profile for older Heitz, my European friends were impressed. The 85 to me has been consistently good. This is in an excellent place right now and seems like it should hold for some time. My WOTN against some pretty good competition.
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Tasted blind, clearly identifiable by penetrating menthol character in the nose. The wine is fully mature, still rich, but has declined in the last 6 yrs since my last bottle.
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I'm the original owner of this bottle, and it was a delight. Good nose, a great mouth that's slightly high pitched, and a very good length. Brambly red fruit, some leather.
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Flawed. The bottle tasted corked. Even behind the corked taste was a very weak showing. However, the color was deep purple but it has long faded. We decanted the bottle with hope it would come around but it did not. Sad ending for what probably was a nice bottle in its day.
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4th of July BBQ with Friends and good wine; 7/4/2015-7/5/2015 (Zurich, Switzerland): Served blind. Still deep red. Nose of eucalyptus, horse saddle and cherries. Has something flawed so I initially tipped on Heitz Martha's. After some time in the air it started to develop and the somewhat pungent smell started to disappear. Initially I was hoping that the ugly duckling will turn into the beautiful swan...unfortunately it did not. Still was an ok wine, but at the same time the 1985 Martha's is a frustrating undertaking. So far I only had one bottle with 98pts and the rest were flawed or in the low 90s.
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Some at the table thought it was corked but I felt more cellar stank. I'm pretty sensitive to cork for what it's worth. Started with the telltale mint but that didn't last all night. Smooth cab flavors indicative of the Heitz style meaning not overdone. That being said this wine wasn't particularly intense or ethereal. Still I'd certainly drink this if offered.
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Medium dark garnet-red color; unusual amount of tartrate crystals on cork. Fairly strong case of cork taint: musty damp cellar smells (wet paper, wet clay and plaster, damp wood), mint, cherry. Tangy acids and medium tannin. Drinkable. Medium finish, a little sweet-sour. Sadly, this bottle provided us with little of the long anticipated levels of enjoyment. Purchased on original release, stored in my brother's cool underground cellar. Dang.
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I have been worried that my 1980s cabs might be getting over the hill, even though they have been stored very well. (55 degrees and humidity controlled.) At almost 30 years of age, this 85 Martha's is still very nice. Brick edges, but still a lot of color. Intense, mature cab nose. Complex palate, with tobacco, leather and eucalyptus. A hint of tannic astringency, although still good fruit and intense flavors. Will be fine for at least another year or two. Hope my other 1980s cabs are doing as well!
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Great. But not as good as the last two bottles. Bricking at the edges. Nose of black currant, bramble, cedar, eucalyptus and menthol. Powerful palate of black fruit, wet cedar, cigar box and menthol. Nice, long smoky, cedary finish.
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A fantastic aged Cali Cab Sauv experience. Deep garnet colour. Rich, dark nose of leather, cedar, black fruit, mushroom. The palate is quite the contrast: smooth, stately, mature black and blue fruit up front, with eucalyptus, cedar, crisp minerality and good acidity. The palate evolved over the course of 3 hours. Lots of tertiary characteristics came and went: a bit of cabbage here, a little pencil lead there, some plum, some tobacco leaf. A long, lingering finish. What a memorable start to 2014.
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At Thanksgiving dinner, drank with a 92 Cask 23 and a 97 Lail J Daniel. Decanted for about 90 minutes
Great bottle - color is a brick red. Aroma on the decant was very rich, would have guessed a younger wine. Nose was like my better bottles, Bordeaux-like, cherries/red fruits, mint/eucalyptus. Typical for older Heitz
Palate is old red fruits, cherries, earth/cedar, vanilla, oak, blackberry, chocolate. Finish was spectacular, layered and complex - bringing out secondary flavors.
Probably best of the Martha's I have had so far. Some bottle variation with the 85s (in my experience). This is a beautifully aged wine - a great example of how old California wines can taste as good as anything in the world
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Monday California Tasting: Deep ruby red in color - one would expect a 10 - 15 year old wine. Nose of Cherries, Mint and Tobacco. This wine is very complex and has lots of juice. Currant, chocolate and black tea. This is still so youtful and has an enormous potentail to still evolve to a legend.
As a note, this was my best Martha's 85 so far. In previous encounters I was always quite confused by this wine, with many bottles seeming a bit flawed.
Perfectly mature deep garnet and brick color. Nose hits you with the typical herbal, minty eucalyptus along with earthy red fruit, cedar, vanilla and plum. Mouthfeel is quite rich and soft, more so than others indicated. Flavors as indicated in the nose with the addition of some chocolate, cherry and black raspberry. The aftertaste was moderately long and the wine went well with grilled steaks. Wonderfully balanced and delicious lasting for 5-6 hours after decanting evolving favorably throughout but probably best at about the 3 hour point. The wine was served along side 1985 Chateau Margaux. While it was a very close comparison, I think the Heitz was better on the margin due to the longer richer finish.
2 bottles, both with a slightly mushroomy edge on the finish, but loads of sweet cassis-blackcurrant fruit and that eucalyptus/mint taste of the vineyard. Soft, sweet and long. Impressive, especially for its age. Lovely wine though for my personal palate a bit too ripe. Will still last...
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The nose shows some cardboard along with the eucalyptus notes that seem to dominate older Heitz cabs. Great palate, silky and weightless with everything in balance, dry tannins and dried fruit notes to complement the earthy components.
Dinner at Blue Morel with Gary/Tom/Bob. Disappointing, the First bottle was flawed. This one was opened and decanted for only about 30 minutes. Didn't have the complexity and fruit of prior bottles. Was vegetal and had lost its fruit. Better luck with next bottle
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A perfect example of a fully mature, charming, California Cabernet Sauvignon filled with sweet, ripe cherries, tobacco, earth, smoke and spice. Popped and poured, the wine improved in the glass, softening in texture and adding more nuances.
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Just a Friday with buddies (Austin, TX): Signature Heitz nose of dark fruits and mint. On the palate, a little funky at first but as it got air, it blossomed with cassis, blackberry, red currants, hints of tobacco and spice. Finishes long with great grip. This can go quite a while. Great bottle
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Needed at least 30 minutes in the decanter for it to come together. Very nice color just browning a little in the rim. Nose was mixture of smoke, mint and red fruit. Still quite tannic with good underlying acidity and the eucalyptus. Whatever left of the fruit was in a confectionary way which I dislike. Overall I found it quite hard and disjointed and lacking that charming california fruit to compliment.
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Another spectacular bottle. Drank with some very knowledge-able wine buddies, stood up to some other very big/prestigious wines that evening. This bottle did not have as much of the traditional Martha's eucalyptus. Was elegant, ripe dark fruit, Bordeaux-like earth/pencil. Long and mellow finish. Still has awhile to go, but drinking perfectly right now.
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Really spectacular! I haven't had this wine for several years. The nose had the typical Heitz eucalyptus and dark fruit of the older vintages. It drank like a fruit forward Bordeaux. Opened up quickly, within 15 minutes of pouring
Drank with an 82 and 86 Pichon-lalande, if you didn't know it would have been indistinguishable from the Bordeaux, and better...aged Heitz (assuming a good cork and bottle) is a memorable wine. This one may have another 10 years in it
Old vintages of Heitz are really special wines.
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Sampled 12/10/11. The wine's color just barely shows any hint of any kind of age. Eucalyptus is what this label is known for and it comes through in spades upon first opening. After an hour or so, it mellows out. Beautiful layering of dark fruits, eucalyptus (of course), some toasted Oak and leathery/tar notes as well. A sophisticated wine that just keeps showing itself very well.
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Allowed to breathe about 45 minutes, but did not decant. Cork was still in great shape. Still has great balc fruit boquet with a hint of lead pencil. Smooth silky tannins. No signs of bricking and I think that this will hold for another ten years. All in all, a great bottle of wine for a special evening.
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This has always been one of my favourite wines. Last time tasted was in 07 and it still tastes the same. Will probably last for another decade at least. Perfect looking bottle. Very light and beautifully maturing. Silky smooth, ripe and sweet but still nicely balanced. Tastes like a very fleshy and sweet Bordeaux from 1982. Decanted and drunk over 3 hours and it did not deteriorate at all.
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Dinner with Jancis Robinson (London): The moment I put my nose in the glass this screamed of ripe, dark fruit, mint and eucalypt. I barely needed to taste it to confirm, blind, that this was a Heitz Martha's, ultimately guessed as mid-80's. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut, and this was an easy find. As an aside, my only prior tastes of Heitz Martha's was a fleeting glass of a 1997 and a note on the 1991 from my very first big tasting I ever attended. The closest comparison I could make was in fact to a glorious 1969 Heitz C-91 tasted about 14 months ago which was in fact largely declassified Martha's.
Anyway, this wine is as textbook and iconic as you will find and really a glorious, glorious example of signature Napa Cabernet. I wish they still made them like this.
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Popped and poured from a nice bottle (fill into neck, easy cork extraction). Medium-plus, deep ruby red with a touch of bricking. Forward aromas of mixed red fruits, red currant, tobacco leaf, earth, and a subtle herbaceous quality complimented by a touch of smoke. With air, the fruit becomes more pronounced and notes of mint begin to emerge. Medium to medium-plus body, quite elegant in mouth. The fruit really shines on the palate, the profile of which remains fresh and vibrant through flavors of black raspberry, cherry, and currant in addition to tertiary notes of earth, dried herbs, and perhaps even the sensation of minerals on the close. The tannins are nicely integrated yet structured enough that pristine bottles of this should endure. A nice juxtaposition of Napa fruit with old world, Bordeaux-esque complexities.
Quick commentary: Tasted alongside the 1974 Martha's. Quite interesting to compare...flavor profile differed yet overall structure was nearly identical and one truly felt as though this great terrior was speaking through both wines. A true sense of place and origin.
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Sadly, our last bottle of this beauty, which has been our traditional New Year's Eve wine. Delicious again, and still with plenty of life. Dark berry, eucalyptus, earth flavors, excellent structure and balance. Paired with fresh pasta in a white truffle sauce, worked perfectly.
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Still youthful both in terms of colour and texture. Certainly a very nice CA cabernet but this was up against a '90 Leoville Poyfere which was far superior. This Martha's finish was quite abrupt - just as you expect it step up a gear, it simply faded away. Fill and cork were perfect fwiw.
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Heitz Martha's Vineyard vertical 1970 to 1999 (IOD, London): Sour nose, some disinfectant, this seemed a bit unclean too. Certainly the wine was rich, lovely smooth texture. I concluded that it was a great wine spoiled by a touch of TCA. Several people present had this down as WOTN.
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'80s and '90s California Cab Tasting w/ Bob Macdonald (Our House): Fantastic mineral-laced dark fruit nose. The palate shows kaleidoscopically complex, minty dark fruit, Graves-like gravelly soil flavors, berries, tobacco, soy, vitamin, and eucalyptus. Unbelievably dynamic and long, with an amazing, silky texture, superb balance, and a near-endless finish. A perfect example of this remarkable wine. WOTN.
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This old lady did not disappoint. Decanted for 1.5 hours before drinking. The color is still very deep. Berry flavors are still there with the slightest hint of eucalyptus.
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Moldy nose, that for my wife was off tasting. The nose never burned off which I expected. No hint of eucalypus which I searched for. Bought this the day it was released and drank this for the wine you were saving night. Both my wife and her friend were disappointed. Food was great and the wine was a let down.
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Bottle and fill excellent. cork good. Decanted for about one hour. This is a beautiful wine and seems to have years of life ahead. It suffered only that it was served next to the 1972 Martha's, an even better wine.
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Wow! This wine gets better and better every year! Supple, elegant, wonderfully textured wine, with delicious dark cherry, berry, chocolate and eucalyptus flavors. Down to our last bottle for next year, I might be inclined to wait a couple more years just to see how much more life it has. It appeared to us that this wine has reached its peak, but it is definitely not headed downhill anytime soon! A great way to end 2008!
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Even better than last year's bottle (we drink this wine every year on New Year's Eve), rich, supple, delicious dark cherry. Not as pronounced eucalyptus as prior bottles, more concentrated, ripe fruit. Absolutely delicious, and still with plenty of time to go. Decanted at 5pm and still drinking beautifully at 10. Actually showed better than the 1985 Las Cases we had last night. Only two bottles left...
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Fully mature, with soft tannins still present. Didn't pick up the traditional MV tastes of mint or ecualyptis. Still a delightful bottle of wine. LIke several other bottles of 85 MV, this one had a crumbly cork, while the 84 and 86 opened on the same night did not. Buyer beware.
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Our traditional eve of New Year's eve wine -- with dinner at Blackbird. Delicious dark, dark berry flavors, with smoke and eucalyptus. A wonderful wine, in its prime. Rich, but soft, mouthfeel, fine tannins, perfectly integrated. Wish I had another glass after the bottle was empty!
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1985 California Cab Tasting: Lots of fruit left in this wine. A very health color in the glass without a hint of bricking. Amzingly complex flavors of olive fruit, spice and eucalyptus. Gotta love this wine and I guessed Martha's blind.
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Tasting of three vintages, third place, rich cherry fruit, dusty earth, mint on the nose, lots of coffee, cucumber on the palate, mint, touch of sweatsox, medium/big body, long finish.
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Older Cabs, etc in NYC (NYC): Nice cedar nose. Leather, cassis, and other mature, complex, Cab flavors. Elegant and well balanced. Beautiful wine, with a hint of mint.
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1985 Vintage (Lafayette, Ca.): Beautiful, beet red color, touch of plum, tobacco, sage, and bret, lovely taste of rich fruit, great fruit, very nice but simple, bret hurt the taste, lots of mint here.
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At S&F survey of new "killer Cabs." Very dark ruby. Sticks to the glass. Maybe has the best color of all the wines tasted. Nose has blackcurrants--ripe, weedy fruit. Very good core of varietal fruit. On the palate, just tremendous. Yummy! Rich, BEAUTIFUL. I like this wine! 5-11-18-8: 92/100.
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VERY CHARACTERISTIC MARTHA'S, RICH FULL BODIED WINE WITH EUCALYP- TUS AROMAS AS WELL AS VERY NICE UNDERLYING FRUIT. TASTED AGAINST '74, WOULD APPEAR TO BE SHORTER LIVED. LONG FINISH. IMPRESSIVE.
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With MPL, BLR and Diane at LWB. Deep, dark ruby. Characteristic mint-eucalyptus nose. Some alcohol apparent. Good depth of fruit. On the palate, very herbal and tannic, but with good fruit. Bothersome woody note in the finish really is distracting. I hope it gets bettter than this. 5-9-13-7: 84/100.
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3/8/2024 - Som-Geo Likes this wine: 98 Points
First wine note in a year++, this was such a delightful surprise to the upside. CT shows drinking window 2025-2100! Wow. Blind, this wine would be difficult to identify as Napa, definitely old-world characteristics. Took 2-3 hours to open so recommend decanting. Gorgeous, one of my top favorite Napas (alongside Dominus) with the nose developing over time with cigar box, baking spice, black fruit (black tea?) and perhaps a hint of the signature Eucalyptus. Wine feels in the drinking window, to me, with lovely texture and finish. I'm going to look for more 70s and 80s Heitz, pricey but worth it vis-a-vis classic Bordeaux. Cheers!!
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12/14/2023 - napasoutherner Likes this wine: 98 Points
Superb effort from Heitz. Nearly 40 year old wine that is just humming. PNP, cork looked great. Not faded on rim of wine and busting with old world and old Napa flavor (cigar, tobacco, wood forest, dark black fruit, cassis). Just a f'ing wonderful wine.
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10/15/2023 - Pitkin_CT Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank with Frank and Ann Sanford
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9/7/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
A fabulous example of an aged, classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine kicks off with a blast of cherries, cocoa, tobacco leaf and a sprig of mint. Full, deep and chewy, the dark cherries and plums on the back end kept on going. It’s hard to believe this is almost 40 years of age. Drink from 2023-2035.
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7/9/2023 - kr522 wrote: 96 Points
Much better than the average score here, this has all the characteristics of a great bottle of MV. Deep complex fruit, excellent balance, and minty notes. An excellent drink, thanks Pav
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2/10/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Napa 2023: the quieter version; 2/6/2023-2/11/2023 (Napa/Sonoma California): A wine that I thought was great from the beginning but did seem to get better and better in the glass. Really impressive. It’s got the eucalyptus and the darker fruits and the more secondary style and very well balanced and structured. Drinking great.
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6/7/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Workshop: Heitz Martha's Vineyard (The Dutch): Slight change-up and so the '85 ended up in the first flight and the '86 in the second. Both great wines. The 85 is almost slightly sweet blackberry, brambly, a bit more woodsy in style. It's drinking quite nicely. A wine that I kept revisiting throughout the dinner.
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4/2/2022 - rkww Likes this wine: 95 Points
This winery re-release of the 1985 Heitz Martha's Vineyard spent three decades in neutral oak casks prior to bottling a few years ago. Today, it successfully masquerades as a much younger wine. Deeply hued with minimal bricking and no signs of oxidation or "old wine funk," it revealed its age on the palate, where the tannins are fully resolved, and eventually on the nose, where subtle notes of dark chocolate, leather, and earth emerge after about an hour in the decanter. Of course, this being classic Martha's, the overall impressions are of cassis and eucalyptus, a silky texture, a satisfying finish, and a wine at its absolute peak. Drink re-releases over the next few years, original bottlings ASAP.
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10/31/2021 - Tmurphrey Likes this wine: 97 Points
This wine surprised me. From a 750 ML bought at release and cellar stored since purchase. Perfect interpretation of an older Cal Cab. All the fruit and Cal Cab flavors you would expect without the tannins. Did not taste or look old.
The wine looks crimson colored. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis) and flint. It tastes like a rich cab of black currant (cassis) with a little earthiness. The body is medium/full. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has low acidity.
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6/20/2021 - Winedad53 wrote: 93 Points
Purple black, with nose of black tea, this wine is tight at inception then opens up to black plum, stewed prune and a healthy dose of eucalyptus touched with oregano and a drying note of basil. Enjoyed with lamb chops. Amazing vitality for a 36 year-old wine.
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6/17/2021 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Wine Diner (Ada St): Text book, mature and singing wine. So much mint and eucalyptus in the aromas and on the palate. Fresh plum fruit for days with well integrated balancing structure. No hurry, but I’d drink in 5-10 years.
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6/17/2021 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
"Drink it while it's delicious" (Chicago, IL): In theory, I should actually like the Heitz Martha's very much, but the eucalyptus/mint note on this wine has always been a little too much for me. This bottle's eucalyptus note was off-the-charts prominent to the point where I think it took away from some of the other nice elements on the nose. The palate shows archetypal sweet black fruit from Napa; the back end demonstrates that this wine is fully mature.
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1/31/2021 - eschaefer wrote: 92 Points
Unbelievably young. Deep garnet color with very little bricking. Tertiary aromas, but cedar, mint, dried plum and cassis were present. Highly recommended and I am grateful for old heitz!!
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12/21/2020 - Clever Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Yes it has the mint and yes it rings true to Heitz Martha's flavor expectations. I think you could pick this out in a crowd. Really a pleasure to drink.
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11/19/2020 - Wine365 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I bought this from a friend 5 years ago and put in my cellar. I thought it must be going bad. What a pleasant surprise. Initial nose of aged cellar but mellow vegetable initially on the pállate. Still drinking very well
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10/4/2020 - DBenke wrote: 97 Points
Delicious wine, expressive nose, dark fruit, rich with great acidity. Beyond impressed with how perfect this wine was.
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5/2/2020 - fclarity wrote: 94 Points
From virtually perfect looking bottle, this wine had a very deep red center with red/orange rims. The medium intensity nose displayed over-ripe plums, soy, figs, and dark soil at first. As the wine aired it firmed up a bit (not so over-ripe) and developed some classic mint notes.
In the mouth, This wine was very rich textured but with firm acidity and mild rounded tannin. Its noteworthy structure balanced against the super-ripe fruit created a dramatic mouthfeel that screamed New World. While a somewhat "spikey" structural element in the mid palate detracted from the overall creamy mouthfeel, it did moderate after 3+ hours of air.
I found this relatively extreme wine enjoyable but it is not for everybody. My visualization is an elephant on a unicycle. I doubt it will improve from here as I don't think it has the balance of the 74.
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3/9/2020 - Gunakadeit Likes this wine: 96 Points
Shockingly young.
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2/12/2020 - redwiner Likes this wine: 96 Points
I wasn't sure what to expect as it had been years since I opened one. Very nice, held up well.
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5/12/2019 - jviz wrote: flawed
Mildly corked, but just enough to notice and it didn’t get better with time. A disappointment, as I’ve never had an old Martha’s before.. still can get some of the eucalyptus in it though!
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11/17/2018 - Rixley Likes this wine: 96 Points
Evolved over several hours after decanting. Wonderful exotic aromas.
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10/30/2018 - walkerjfw wrote: 97 Points
Dinner w Tom F at the Village Pub in Menlo area...great spot, corkage friendly and knowledgeable staff. Had them decant this, fill to the bottom neck. Drank after a Domaine Dublere (white burgundy)
Consistnet w/prior notes: "Color is a brick red, clear and vibrant. Nose is very Bordeaux-like, cherries/red fruits, mint/eucalyptus. From prior notes: "Palate is old red fruits, cherries, earth/cedar, vanilla, oak, blackberry, chocolate. Finish was spectacular, layered and complex - bringing out secondary flavors..."
The signature Martha's eucalyptus was really notable here, and got more fragrant as the wine opened. Color and texture still elegant.
This wine has been consistently good in my last few tastings. Last few bottles suggest it will still go a while...really well made, wonder if they ever thought the wine would last this long?..:)still drinking well at 33 years and should make it to 40...a few bottles left, great stuff
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8/19/2018 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full and palate coating. Hints of graphite and celery root on the nose. Not as sharp as some bottles.
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11/15/2017 - WestUAg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly tight for a wine that is 32 years old. If you have this bottle I might suggest decanting it for a couple of hours before consuming. It was a pnp for me to celebrate Astros world series win that night and while clearly a great bottle of Heitz martha..more eucalyptus than mint on this one and some great dark fruits. Tannin's are gone but it still felt like this wine was holding back. Could probably last another 10-20 years in your cellar. I wil revisit with a nice decant next time.
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8/26/2017 - convex Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pop and poured. Full fill. Bottle in Pristine condition. Dark crimson in the glass. No sign of bricking. Big nose of red berries and liquorice immediately upon open. Structure remains firm and layered. Very sweet and fruity especially consider the age. A hint of mint and some herbal notes. Very clean and crisp. Absolutely loved this.
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8/4/2017 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Nose: A-/A Palate: B++/A-
My #1, Group's #1 (56 pts). Tasted Blind
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7/25/2017 - M DU VIN Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich black fruit and cedar box nose. Deep purple with no sign of bricking.
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6/28/2017 - dream Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful nose of eucalyptus and blackberries. Silky and so perfectly mature on the palate. Less powerful now and all about finesse with a wonderfully pungent taste of sweet eucalyptus along with flavors of black licorice and black currants. Finishes soft and ultra-complex with wonderful earth and spice notes. This doesn't have the power of the '74 but it comes damn close to that wine's complexity. Fabulous!
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5/14/2017 - jbaron wrote: 95 Points
This is the real deal. Smooth and fresh and tasty and everything else.
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2/9/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Classic California Cabernet Sauvignon that provides great drinking today. If this was blind I would have guessed it was at lest 10-15 years younger than its true age. Slightly rustic, with some green, (olive, herb & mint) the wine still delivers a blast of blackberry, spice, earth and cedar that lingers. I liked this wine a lot!
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1/1/2017 - TWSA wrote: 86 Points
Duration: 3 hours
Condition: perfect but a rather soft cork
Aroma: pepper, earthy, violet, darkberries
Notes: the palate is a little imbalanced and overall the wine wasn't well integrated. A bit disappointing I have to say. Perhaps it's with the bottle because at some point I thought it was corked but later recovered.
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12/25/2016 - rsprouse Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened this to have with the Christmas Prime Rib Roast. The fill was high shoulder. Cork soft but I was able to get it out cleanly. On first blush, nose is classic Martha's, with obvious minty eucalyptus notes. Still a bit of grip on the sides of the tongue. Mature old red stone fruits and a bright but somewhat short finish. Still, an epic wine and I'm glad I have one more bottle. I won't wait long, this is at if not slightly past its prime. Looking forward to see how it opens with a little air and how it pairs with the roast beef.
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12/17/2016 - Dickdoc49 wrote: 85 Points
Past it's prime
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11/8/2016 - llink wrote: 94 Points
PWTG Vertical Flight of Heitz Martha's (83, 84, 85 AND 86) Group's #1 My #1
Beautiful restrained nose showing cassis, dust and eucalyptus. Rich, sweet cassis fruit on the palate, but a very classic/old world restrained richness unlike modern cabs. Stunning balance and poise, this wine was really special and at 31 years old showing that the lower alcohol old school Napa cabs age wonderfully.
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10/15/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 98 Points
A Decadent Wine Day...Zachy's Vault II and Dinner with special guest CVA and friends (Le Bernardin, New York and Chez Walker in Princeton, NJ): Followed the 2 Eisele vineyards by pulling this from the cellar... following up the 85 Phelps. Decanted for about 20 minutes, drank over 45.
Color is a brick red, clear and vibrant. Nose is very Bordeaux-like, cherries/red fruits, mint/eucalyptus. From prior notes: "Palate is old red fruits, cherries, earth/cedar, vanilla, oak, blackberry, chocolate. Finish was spectacular, layered and complex - bringing out secondary flavors..."
This was the star of the show for me. If tasted blind we all agreed we would have pegged this as a left bank wine. Typical profile for older Heitz, my European friends were impressed. The 85 to me has been consistently good. This is in an excellent place right now and seems like it should hold for some time. My WOTN against some pretty good competition.
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9/6/2016 - pilsbry Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted blind, clearly identifiable by penetrating menthol character in the nose. The wine is fully mature, still rich, but has declined in the last 6 yrs since my last bottle.
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7/3/2016 - jbaron Likes this wine: 94 Points
I'm the original owner of this bottle, and it was a delight. Good nose, a great mouth that's slightly high pitched, and a very good length. Brambly red fruit, some leather.
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10/2/2015 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
20-30 year old Cab/Bordeaux blends from anywhere in the world (tasted blind) (Andre and Sabine's House, Mountain View, CA): Modest nose upon opening. Outstanding, young, Smooth (A-). Beautiful, smooth palate (A-).
My #6, Group's #4 (67 pts). Tasted blind.
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7/12/2015 - ffjxc wrote: flawed
Flawed. The bottle tasted corked. Even behind the corked taste was a very weak showing. However, the color was deep purple but it has long faded. We decanted the bottle with hope it would come around but it did not. Sad ending for what probably was a nice bottle in its day.
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7/5/2015 - Wine_lvr wrote: 92 Points
4th of July BBQ with Friends and good wine; 7/4/2015-7/5/2015 (Zurich, Switzerland): Served blind. Still deep red. Nose of eucalyptus, horse saddle and cherries. Has something flawed so I initially tipped on Heitz Martha's. After some time in the air it started to develop and the somewhat pungent smell started to disappear. Initially I was hoping that the ugly duckling will turn into the beautiful swan...unfortunately it did not. Still was an ok wine, but at the same time the 1985 Martha's is a frustrating undertaking. So far I only had one bottle with 98pts and the rest were flawed or in the low 90s.
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5/7/2015 - nikos wrote:
Some at the table thought it was corked but I felt more cellar stank. I'm pretty sensitive to cork for what it's worth. Started with the telltale mint but that didn't last all night. Smooth cab flavors indicative of the Heitz style meaning not overdone. That being said this wine wasn't particularly intense or ethereal. Still I'd certainly drink this if offered.
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3/12/2015 - coremill wrote: flawed
Slightly oxidized, which made the wine nutty and volatile.
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12/30/2014 - Hodby wrote: flawed
Medium dark garnet-red color; unusual amount of tartrate crystals on cork. Fairly strong case of cork taint: musty damp cellar smells (wet paper, wet clay and plaster, damp wood), mint, cherry. Tangy acids and medium tannin. Drinkable. Medium finish, a little sweet-sour. Sadly, this bottle provided us with little of the long anticipated levels of enjoyment. Purchased on original release, stored in my brother's cool underground cellar. Dang.
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12/1/2014 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
KenK's BDay (Wildfire Chicago il): Wow. Great color, eucalyptus exploding on the nose, good finish a real stunner.
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10/19/2014 - Dennis Graves wrote: 93 Points
I have been worried that my 1980s cabs might be getting over the hill, even though they have been stored very well. (55 degrees and humidity controlled.)
At almost 30 years of age, this 85 Martha's is still very nice. Brick edges, but still a lot of color. Intense, mature cab nose. Complex palate, with tobacco, leather and eucalyptus. A hint of tannic astringency, although still good fruit and intense flavors. Will be fine for at least another year or two. Hope my other 1980s cabs are doing as well!
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9/18/2014 - Wine_lvr wrote: flawed
Heitz, Heitz, Heitz and Heitz: Tasting note to follow
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5/14/2014 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great. But not as good as the last two bottles. Bricking at the edges. Nose of black currant, bramble, cedar, eucalyptus and menthol. Powerful palate of black fruit, wet cedar, cigar box and menthol. Nice, long smoky, cedary finish.
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2/4/2014 - Choop Likes this wine: 92 Points
very enjoyable.
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1/3/2014 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A fantastic aged Cali Cab Sauv experience. Deep garnet colour. Rich, dark nose of leather, cedar, black fruit, mushroom. The palate is quite the contrast: smooth, stately, mature black and blue fruit up front, with eucalyptus, cedar, crisp minerality and good acidity. The palate evolved over the course of 3 hours. Lots of tertiary characteristics came and went: a bit of cabbage here, a little pencil lead there, some plum, some tobacco leaf. A long, lingering finish. What a memorable start to 2014.
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12/20/2013 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Confraria Dezembro 2013 (Agnelo - São Paulo - SP - Brasil): Very classy. Beautiful color. Great balance. Earthy. Tobacco. Improved greatly after 1-2 hours with aeration and food.
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11/28/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 97 Points
At Thanksgiving dinner, drank with a 92 Cask 23 and a 97 Lail J Daniel. Decanted for about 90 minutes
Great bottle - color is a brick red. Aroma on the decant was very rich, would have guessed a younger wine. Nose was like my better bottles, Bordeaux-like, cherries/red fruits, mint/eucalyptus. Typical for older Heitz
Palate is old red fruits, cherries, earth/cedar, vanilla, oak, blackberry, chocolate. Finish was spectacular, layered and complex - bringing out secondary flavors.
Probably best of the Martha's I have had so far. Some bottle variation with the 85s (in my experience). This is a beautifully aged wine - a great example of how old California wines can taste as good as anything in the world
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6/25/2013 - Wine_lvr wrote: 98 Points
Monday California Tasting: Deep ruby red in color - one would expect a 10 - 15 year old wine. Nose of Cherries, Mint and Tobacco. This wine is very complex and has lots of juice. Currant, chocolate and black tea. This is still so youtful and has an enormous potentail to still evolve to a legend.
As a note, this was my best Martha's 85 so far. In previous encounters I was always quite confused by this wine, with many bottles seeming a bit flawed.
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6/15/2013 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
RICH BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE WITH MINT AND A TOUCH OF EARTHINESS. BLACK CHERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. GREAT COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH.
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4/13/2013 - oldwines wrote: 95 Points
Perfectly mature deep garnet and brick color. Nose hits you with the typical herbal, minty eucalyptus along with earthy red fruit, cedar, vanilla
and plum. Mouthfeel is quite rich and soft, more so than others indicated. Flavors as indicated in the nose with the addition of some chocolate, cherry and black raspberry. The aftertaste was moderately long and the wine went well with grilled steaks. Wonderfully balanced and delicious lasting for 5-6 hours after decanting evolving favorably throughout but probably best at about the 3 hour point. The wine was served along side 1985 Chateau Margaux. While it was a very close comparison, I think the Heitz was better on the margin due to the longer richer finish.
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4/3/2013 - latimer Likes this wine: 91 Points
2 bottles, both with a slightly mushroomy edge on the finish, but loads of sweet cassis-blackcurrant fruit and that eucalyptus/mint taste of the vineyard. Soft, sweet and long. Impressive, especially for its age. Lovely wine though for my personal palate a bit too ripe. Will still last...
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1/20/2013 - llink wrote:
The nose shows some cardboard along with the eucalyptus notes that seem to dominate older Heitz cabs. Great palate, silky and weightless with everything in balance, dry tannins and dried fruit notes to complement the earthy components.
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12/16/2012 - walkerjfw wrote:
Dinner at Blue Morel with Gary/Tom/Bob. Disappointing, the First bottle was flawed. This one was opened and decanted for only about 30 minutes. Didn't have the complexity and fruit of prior bottles. Was vegetal and had lost its fruit. Better luck with next bottle
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12/2/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
A perfect example of a fully mature, charming, California Cabernet Sauvignon filled with sweet, ripe cherries, tobacco, earth, smoke and spice. Popped and poured, the wine improved in the glass, softening in texture and adding more nuances.
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10/27/2012 - redwiner wrote: 89 Points
Seems about over the hill, perhaps just this bottle. Othet than that a good wine.
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10/5/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 93 Points
Just a Friday with buddies (Austin, TX): Signature Heitz nose of dark fruits and mint. On the palate, a little funky at first but as it got air, it blossomed with cassis, blackberry, red currants, hints of tobacco and spice. Finishes long with great grip. This can go quite a while. Great bottle
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9/23/2012 - cortoncharlie wrote: 85 Points
Needed at least 30 minutes in the decanter for it to come together. Very nice color just browning a little in the rim. Nose was mixture of smoke, mint and red fruit. Still quite tannic with good underlying acidity and the eucalyptus. Whatever left of the fruit was in a confectionary way which I dislike. Overall I found it quite hard and disjointed and lacking that charming california fruit to compliment.
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3/9/2012 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
Another spectacular bottle. Drank with some very knowledge-able wine buddies, stood up to some other very big/prestigious wines that evening. This bottle did not have as much of the traditional Martha's eucalyptus. Was elegant, ripe dark fruit, Bordeaux-like earth/pencil. Long and mellow finish. Still has awhile to go, but drinking perfectly right now.
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1/6/2012 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
Really spectacular! I haven't had this wine for several years. The nose had the typical Heitz eucalyptus and dark fruit of the older vintages. It drank like a fruit forward Bordeaux. Opened up quickly, within 15 minutes of pouring
Drank with an 82 and 86 Pichon-lalande, if you didn't know it would have been indistinguishable from the Bordeaux, and better...aged Heitz (assuming a good cork and bottle) is a memorable wine. This one may have another 10 years in it
Old vintages of Heitz are really special wines.
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12/11/2011 - mxpbuy wrote: 95 Points
Sampled 12/10/11. The wine's color just barely shows any hint of any kind of age. Eucalyptus is what this label is known for and it comes through in spades upon first opening. After an hour or so, it mellows out. Beautiful layering of dark fruits, eucalyptus (of course), some toasted Oak and leathery/tar notes as well. A sophisticated wine that just keeps showing itself very well.
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8/31/2011 - M DU VIN wrote: 94 Points
Allowed to breathe about 45 minutes, but did not decant. Cork was still in great shape. Still has great balc fruit boquet with a hint of lead pencil. Smooth silky tannins. No signs of bricking and I think that this will hold for another ten years. All in all, a great bottle of wine for a special evening.
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6/25/2011 - esh44 wrote: 90 Points
Silky tannins and well balanced. Eucalyptus is readily apparent in nose, with red fruit and mint. Decanted and it stayed fresh for two hours.
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2/11/2011 - phenricsson wrote: 93 Points
This has always been one of my favourite wines. Last time tasted was in 07 and it still tastes the same. Will probably last for another decade at least. Perfect looking bottle. Very light and beautifully maturing. Silky smooth, ripe and sweet but still nicely balanced. Tastes like a very fleshy and sweet Bordeaux from 1982. Decanted and drunk over 3 hours and it did not deteriorate at all.
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1/9/2011 - Eric wrote:
Dinner with Jancis Robinson (London): The moment I put my nose in the glass this screamed of ripe, dark fruit, mint and eucalypt. I barely needed to taste it to confirm, blind, that this was a Heitz Martha's, ultimately guessed as mid-80's. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut, and this was an easy find. As an aside, my only prior tastes of Heitz Martha's was a fleeting glass of a 1997 and a note on the 1991 from my very first big tasting I ever attended. The closest comparison I could make was in fact to a glorious 1969 Heitz C-91 tasted about 14 months ago which was in fact largely declassified Martha's.
Anyway, this wine is as textbook and iconic as you will find and really a glorious, glorious example of signature Napa Cabernet. I wish they still made them like this.
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1/1/2011 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured from a nice bottle (fill into neck, easy cork extraction). Medium-plus, deep ruby red with a touch of bricking. Forward aromas of mixed red fruits, red currant, tobacco leaf, earth, and a subtle herbaceous quality complimented by a touch of smoke. With air, the fruit becomes more pronounced and notes of mint begin to emerge. Medium to medium-plus body, quite elegant in mouth. The fruit really shines on the palate, the profile of which remains fresh and vibrant through flavors of black raspberry, cherry, and currant in addition to tertiary notes of earth, dried herbs, and perhaps even the sensation of minerals on the close. The tannins are nicely integrated yet structured enough that pristine bottles of this should endure. A nice juxtaposition of Napa fruit with old world, Bordeaux-esque complexities.
Quick commentary: Tasted alongside the 1974 Martha's. Quite interesting to compare...flavor profile differed yet overall structure was nearly identical and one truly felt as though this great terrior was speaking through both wines. A true sense of place and origin.
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12/31/2010 - no leashes wrote: 93 Points
Sadly, our last bottle of this beauty, which has been our traditional New Year's Eve wine. Delicious again, and still with plenty of life. Dark berry, eucalyptus, earth flavors, excellent structure and balance. Paired with fresh pasta in a white truffle sauce, worked perfectly.
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11/27/2010 - G_H Does not like this wine: 59 Points
Heitz and deer (Heitz und Hirsch mit René Gabriel) (Restaurant Sempacherhof): Again, I thought that this was corked, but everyone else said that's how it is meant to be. it smells like fish, oysters and chilli.
Weird!
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10/15/2010 - Bob in NC wrote: 92 Points
OMG, this was a beautiful silky smooth well balance wine - loved it.
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8/15/2010 - ken-yyz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still youthful both in terms of colour and texture. Certainly a very nice CA cabernet but this was up against a '90 Leoville Poyfere which was far superior. This Martha's finish was quite abrupt - just as you expect it step up a gear, it simply faded away. Fill and cork were perfect fwiw.
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5/12/2009 - Rupert wrote: flawed
Heitz Martha's Vineyard vertical 1970 to 1999 (IOD, London): Sour nose, some disinfectant, this seemed a bit unclean too. Certainly the wine was rich, lovely smooth texture. I concluded that it was a great wine spoiled by a touch of TCA. Several people present had this down as WOTN.
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5/11/2009 - Siggy wrote: 96 Points
'80s and '90s California Cab Tasting w/ Bob Macdonald (Our House): Fantastic mineral-laced dark fruit nose. The palate shows kaleidoscopically complex, minty dark fruit, Graves-like gravelly soil flavors, berries, tobacco, soy, vitamin, and eucalyptus. Unbelievably dynamic and long, with an amazing, silky texture, superb balance, and a near-endless finish. A perfect example of this remarkable wine. WOTN.
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3/1/2009 - SeaSmoke wrote: 93 Points
This old lady did not disappoint. Decanted for 1.5 hours before drinking. The color is still very deep. Berry flavors are still there with the slightest hint of eucalyptus.
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2/28/2009 - jlgnml wrote: 88 Points
Moldy nose, that for my wife was off tasting. The nose never burned off which I expected. No hint of eucalypus which I searched for. Bought this the day it was released and drank this for the wine you were saving night. Both my wife and her friend were disappointed. Food was great and the wine was a let down.
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1/3/2009 - vindictive wrote:
Bottle and fill excellent. cork good. Decanted for about one hour. This is a beautiful wine and seems to have years of life ahead. It suffered only that it was served next to the 1972 Martha's, an even better wine.
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12/30/2008 - no leashes wrote: 96 Points
Wow! This wine gets better and better every year! Supple, elegant, wonderfully textured wine, with delicious dark cherry, berry, chocolate and eucalyptus flavors. Down to our last bottle for next year, I might be inclined to wait a couple more years just to see how much more life it has. It appeared to us that this wine has reached its peak, but it is definitely not headed downhill anytime soon! A great way to end 2008!
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8/18/2008 - curtr wrote: 94 Points
A great bottle. Very smooth at this point.
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2/23/2008 - SeaSmoke wrote: 94 Points
Drank for OTBN. Wine is still outstanding. The tannins are very soft. Color is still deep. Truly a great bottle of wine.
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12/31/2007 - no leashes wrote: 96 Points
Even better than last year's bottle (we drink this wine every year on New Year's Eve), rich, supple, delicious dark cherry. Not as pronounced eucalyptus as prior bottles, more concentrated, ripe fruit. Absolutely delicious, and still with plenty of time to go. Decanted at 5pm and still drinking beautifully at 10. Actually showed better than the 1985 Las Cases we had last night. Only two bottles left...
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8/12/2007 - mike l. wrote: 92 Points
red wine vinegar on the nose, standard oak and cab flavors but very smooth and clean and balanced with good finish.
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5/16/2007 - Serge Birbrair wrote: 89 Points
The bottle was clearly missing all atributes of the notes by others. The price tag of $200+ wasn't worth it.
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5/1/2007 - dant wrote: 94 Points
Perfectly drinking but has life left. Classic Heitz flavors. Drank with cowboy steaks on the grill--perfect combo.
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1/23/2007 - M DU VIN wrote: 93 Points
Fully mature, with soft tannins still present. Didn't pick up the traditional MV tastes of mint or ecualyptis. Still a delightful bottle of wine. LIke several other bottles of 85 MV, this one had a crumbly cork, while the 84 and 86 opened on the same night did not. Buyer beware.
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12/30/2006 - no leashes wrote: 96 Points
Our traditional eve of New Year's eve wine -- with dinner at Blackbird. Delicious dark, dark berry flavors, with smoke and eucalyptus. A wonderful wine, in its prime. Rich, but soft, mouthfeel, fine tannins, perfectly integrated. Wish I had another glass after the bottle was empty!
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12/24/2006 - SeaSmoke wrote: 94 Points
Excellent! Long finish, very soft tannins.
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3/4/2005 - steffenpelz wrote: 92 Points
1985 California Cab Tasting: Lots of fruit left in this wine. A very health color in the glass without a hint of bricking. Amzingly complex flavors of olive fruit, spice and eucalyptus. Gotta love this wine and I guessed Martha's blind.
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1/27/2005 - MRichman wrote:
Dinner at Jeff and Sarah's (NYC): Dense with lots of nice flavors going on. Olive & herb. Deepness. Good structure, good age.
A-
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10/19/2004 - MRichman wrote:
David Wainwright's Cos Vertical, 1985 Horizontal (Le Cirque): Full fruit. Quite young. Could be mistaken for a Bordeaux. Nice mint, olive. Juicy tannins. Very complex. Acid.
B++
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9/12/2003 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasting of three vintages, third place, rich cherry fruit, dusty earth, mint on the nose, lots of coffee, cucumber on the palate, mint, touch of sweatsox, medium/big body, long finish.
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10/14/1999 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
Older Cabs, etc in NYC (NYC): Nice cedar nose. Leather, cassis, and other mature, complex, Cab flavors. Elegant and well balanced. Beautiful wine, with a hint of mint.
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5/10/1997 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 85 Points
1985 Tasting of 15 Cabernet Sauvignons (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Very nice, simple wine, touch of mint and earth. My #10 tied.
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11/9/1995 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 84 Points
1985 Vintage (Lafayette, Ca.): Beautiful, beet red color, touch of plum, tobacco, sage, and bret, lovely taste of rich fruit, great fruit, very nice but simple, bret hurt the taste, lots of mint here.
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1/23/1993 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Heitz Tasting (Hi-Time Wine Cellars, Costa Mesa, Ca.): Big, rich, thick, concentrated fruit in the mouth, lots of tannins, needs 5 years to peak, nice finish.
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6/23/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 92 Points
At S&F survey of new "killer Cabs." Very dark ruby. Sticks to the glass. Maybe has the best color of all the wines tasted. Nose has blackcurrants--ripe, weedy fruit. Very good core of varietal fruit. On the palate, just tremendous. Yummy! Rich, BEAUTIFUL. I like this wine! 5-11-18-8: 92/100.
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5/16/1990 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
VERY CHARACTERISTIC MARTHA'S, RICH FULL BODIED WINE WITH EUCALYP- TUS AROMAS AS WELL AS VERY NICE UNDERLYING FRUIT. TASTED AGAINST '74, WOULD APPEAR TO BE SHORTER LIVED. LONG FINISH. IMPRESSIVE.
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2/28/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 84 Points
With MPL, BLR and Diane at LWB. Deep, dark ruby. Characteristic mint-eucalyptus nose. Some alcohol apparent. Good depth of fruit. On the palate, very herbal and tannic, but with good fruit. Bothersome woody note in the finish really is distracting. I hope it gets bettter than this. 5-9-13-7: 84/100.
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