Heitz Cellars Tasting hosted by TCWC (Virtual): One hundred percent cabernet sauvignon from Rutherford. Heitz purchased the vineyard in 1984 and released their first from the 1989 vintage. A four ounce sample poured off two days prior. Deep crimson color. Opens with the Rutherford dust, followed by red berry fruit, sage and bay leaf. Full-bodied. Flavors of red fruit, bay and vanilla. As presenter Erik Elliott commented, there’s terrific density here. Becomes more dark-fruited as it sits, adding spice notes as well. Excellent. On the young side, I’d suggest another five years in the cellar. Erik stated Trailside can generally be expected to be a 25-45 year wine. 93+ pts for me and 92+ for Domino.
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Excellent Napa Cab. Still with a lot of life, but why wait, as it is drinking so well right now. Totally integrated with uniform flavors from start to finish.
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Classic Napa Cab. 2 hour decant and it showed beautifully. Worth the $75 I paid, but save for a special occasion. I would buy again at a discounted price. At 10 years, still young. Beautiful garnet color, slight hint of oak and vanilla. Long, lingering mouthfeel and aftertaste.
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A complete unit. Typical Napa rec Cab (there is a sweet note on the palate maybe due to ripe but not overripe fruit) with a classic bordeaux CabSauvignon touch (the cigar box). Perfectly balanced, touch of satin on entry, integrated ripe and soft tannins, med + acidity, alcohol and intensity of fruit. Decent length and complexity. Really really good already, can see this hold for a few more years. Got 2 left, will try and wait another 3-4 yeras for the next one.
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Still super young, plenty of polished Napa fruit marked by some minerality which distinguishes it from the regular Napa bottle. Good now with a decant, should be amazing in 10 years.
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Color of medium dark red. Scents of raspberry and currant. Tastes consistent with scents, and mellow tannins (as contrasted against younger Napa Cabs).
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I am drinking several Coravin pours tonight: a 2014 O'Shaughnessy Napa Valley Cabernet, a 2015 Band of Vintners Cabernet, and lastly the 2010 Heitz Trailside Cabernet. This to me is a classic Napa Cab, not modern by any stretch, and something that will age extremely well. I think this is just entering the drinking window now. There is absolutely no age showing at the rim of the glass, very dark, which carries onto the nose and the palate. Dark fruits abound, but with acidic structure, slight oak and tannins, cigar box, sweet tobacco, and upon first pouring, a huge blast of eucalyptus and mint. I wonder if that is subconscious, but it certainly is a unique perfume to Heitz, especially the single vineyard Trailside, as well as Martha's. To me, a wonderful, old school, Napa Cab. Something that I will always try to keep in my cellar. The finish is very long, at least 30-45 seconds, for me. Perfectly ripe fruit, tannin, acid, herbaceousness (not under ripe greenness, but something to add to the complexity) and a minerality linger on the finish. A complete wine in my opinion. I just wish the price would be a bit lower, but cannot complain.
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Decanted for an hour while we drank some chardonnay. Fruit on the nose, the plate, was plum, dark cherry, tobacco, wood and dried thyme. The finish was long.
Blackberries, leather and medium rare meat with some white pepper notes intermixed with flower notes. Very bold and muscular typical of premium valley floor fruit. The finish is medium and could use a little more length but hey I’m not complaining.
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Pop and pour. Excellent right away with an upfront herbal quality. Baked blackberry, raspberry syrup, eucalyptus, spearmint, and cedar. Not sure I fully agree with the drinking window but excellent now with no decant.
This wine was aged for 3.5 years in french oak prior to bottling. Deep red in color. Black cherry and cocoa on the nose. On the palate, soft smooth tannins, herbal notes, cedar, and a touch of mint. Complex and dense, but not a tannin bomb. Long lingering finish. 14.5% ABV this was presented in a side by side with the Martha's vineyard Cabernet and was the bestseller of the night. A high quality wine, excellent with a filet or other lean meats.
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This wine was aged for 3.5 years in French oak prior to bottling. Deep red in color. Blackberry and cocoa on the nose. On the palate, soft and smooth tannins, herbal notes, cedar, and a touch of mint. Complex and dense, but not a tannin bomb. Long lingering finish. 14.5% ABV. This was presented side by side with the Martha's Vineyard Cabernet and was the best seller of the night. A high quality wine, excellent with a filet or other lean meats.
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10/4/2023 - schnurbie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful wine. Classic Napa Valley Estate
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12/25/2021 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful wine. Totally balanced. Great from front palate to the aftertaste. Overshadowed a AO Proprietary Red of the same vintage.
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11/11/2021 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Heitz Cellars Tasting hosted by TCWC (Virtual): One hundred percent cabernet sauvignon from Rutherford. Heitz purchased the vineyard in 1984 and released their first from the 1989 vintage. A four ounce sample poured off two days prior. Deep crimson color. Opens with the Rutherford dust, followed by red berry fruit, sage and bay leaf. Full-bodied. Flavors of red fruit, bay and vanilla. As presenter Erik Elliott commented, there’s terrific density here. Becomes more dark-fruited as it sits, adding spice notes as well. Excellent. On the young side, I’d suggest another five years in the cellar. Erik stated Trailside can generally be expected to be a 25-45 year wine. 93+ pts for me and 92+ for Domino.
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12/25/2020 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent Napa Cab. Still with a lot of life, but why wait, as it is drinking so well right now. Totally integrated with uniform flavors from start to finish.
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8/25/2020 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic Napa Cab. 2 hour decant and it showed beautifully. Worth the $75 I paid, but save for a special occasion. I would buy again at a discounted price. At 10 years, still young. Beautiful garnet color, slight hint of oak and vanilla. Long, lingering mouthfeel and aftertaste.
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5/30/2019 - bigop Likes this wine: 93 Points
A complete unit.
Typical Napa rec Cab (there is a sweet note on the palate maybe due to ripe but not overripe fruit) with a classic bordeaux CabSauvignon touch (the cigar box).
Perfectly balanced, touch of satin on entry, integrated ripe and soft tannins, med + acidity, alcohol and intensity of fruit. Decent length
and complexity.
Really really good already, can see this hold for a few more years. Got 2 left, will try and wait another 3-4 yeras for the next one.
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5/6/2019 - spacewrangler wrote: 94 Points
Still super young, plenty of polished Napa fruit marked by some minerality which distinguishes it from the regular Napa bottle. Good now with a decant, should be amazing in 10 years.
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12/24/2018 - schnurbie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing, big, bold Cabernet
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11/19/2018 - dase13 wrote: 93 Points
Color of medium dark red. Scents of raspberry and currant. Tastes consistent with scents, and mellow tannins (as contrasted against younger Napa Cabs).
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7/19/2018 - Jazz Nut Likes this wine: 94 Points
I am drinking several Coravin pours tonight: a 2014 O'Shaughnessy Napa Valley Cabernet, a 2015 Band of Vintners Cabernet, and lastly the 2010 Heitz Trailside Cabernet. This to me is a classic Napa Cab, not modern by any stretch, and something that will age extremely well. I think this is just entering the drinking window now. There is absolutely no age showing at the rim of the glass, very dark, which carries onto the nose and the palate. Dark fruits abound, but with acidic structure, slight oak and tannins, cigar box, sweet tobacco, and upon first pouring, a huge blast of eucalyptus and mint. I wonder if that is subconscious, but it certainly is a unique perfume to Heitz, especially the single vineyard Trailside, as well as Martha's. To me, a wonderful, old school, Napa Cab. Something that I will always try to keep in my cellar. The finish is very long, at least 30-45 seconds, for me. Perfectly ripe fruit, tannin, acid, herbaceousness (not under ripe greenness, but something to add to the complexity) and a minerality linger on the finish. A complete wine in my opinion. I just wish the price would be a bit lower, but cannot complain.
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5/3/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour while we drank some chardonnay. Fruit on the nose, the plate, was plum, dark cherry, tobacco, wood and dried thyme. The finish was long.
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3/15/2018 - AWBryce wrote:
Great nose, powerful, some zest, woody, plum. Palate has aggressive tannin, but the fruit can carry this wine. Give it rest.
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2/11/2018 - farinas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Blackberries, leather and medium rare meat with some white pepper notes intermixed with flower notes. Very bold and muscular typical of premium valley floor fruit. The finish is medium and could use a little more length but hey I’m not complaining.
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9/2/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Pop and pour. Excellent right away with an upfront herbal quality. Baked blackberry, raspberry syrup, eucalyptus, spearmint, and cedar. Not sure I fully agree with the drinking window but excellent now with no decant.
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5/5/2017 - ews3 wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at large walkaround tasting. brooding black fruit with big tannin. really nice herbal notes on this, with eucalyptus and mint most prominent.
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1/26/2017 - jerrysvino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent example of a Napa Cab. Nice fruit, smooth tannins, long finish
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12/12/2016 - arthurogus Likes this wine: 88 Points
This was good with lamb, but not as good as the 2012.
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11/1/2016 - Lakewood Cellarmaster wrote: 93 Points
This wine was aged for 3.5 years in french oak prior to bottling. Deep red in color. Black cherry and cocoa on the nose. On the palate, soft smooth tannins, herbal notes, cedar, and a touch of mint. Complex and dense, but not a tannin bomb. Long lingering finish. 14.5% ABV this was presented in a side by side with the Martha's vineyard Cabernet and was the bestseller of the night. A high quality wine, excellent with a filet or other lean meats.
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9/28/2016 - Lakewood Cellarmaster wrote: 93 Points
This wine was aged for 3.5 years in French oak prior to bottling. Deep red in color. Blackberry and cocoa on the nose. On the palate, soft and smooth tannins, herbal notes, cedar, and a touch of mint. Complex and dense, but not a tannin bomb. Long lingering finish. 14.5% ABV. This was presented side by side with the Martha's Vineyard Cabernet and was the best seller of the night. A high quality wine, excellent with a filet or other lean meats.
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11/30/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Medium bodied, with a fresh, medicinal cherry profile that ends with a blast of crisp cassis and cherry notes.
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9/29/2015 - mhauser Likes this wine:
Giant cab nose, with piles of green pepper. Nice fruit. Restrained, balanced and delicious. Drinking well with a few years of age now.
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