Wine Workshop: Heitz Martha's Vineyard (The Dutch): This felt perhaps like of all the wines the one that was most in its drinking window. Still doing quite well but not sure that this will end up getting significantly better. It's all fresh and minty and black fruits and some additional layers. It's drinking really nicely now.
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Excellent fill/condition; mushrooms, truffle, forest floor; soft wet leather, lovely bouquet with light brown spices; silky, tannins pretty much resolved; slight tart sourness in mid-palate; this sailed for about 20 minutes, then crashed (or the '99 S. Conn Stag's Leap Cab and '05 Arger Martucci Cab completely transformed my palate!). I should've stayed with this a while longer before trying other wines. But quite nice and beautiful while it lasted.
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Base neck fill. Purchased from a retailer who seems to have procured it from Sotheby's. Popped and poured, which was the right decision. Earthy funk on the nose that blew off over time. Aromatics enjoyable, if not pronounced or special. On the palate someone at the table commented that they would have mistaken it for Bordeaux due to the eucalyptus and lead pencil. That said, I found the palate to be signature (old school) California. Dry baker's chocolate, tobacco, and deep, dark fruit dominant with noticeable, though subtle vanillan oak -- but not in an aggressive or unpleasant way. In fact, I'm certain that it knit together a wine that would have been a bit astringent without proper oak treatment . Dense, concentrated, and chewy in flavor though the body was as medium as you get. This wine was very enjoyable and certainly at apogee 38 years later. There's no reason to think that properly cellared examples couldn't hold on for another 5-10.
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Bottle and fill were in good shape, but under the capsule there were a few tiny streaks of seepage on the top of the cork. No problems, however, similar to last note - superb. I hope that someone in California today is making wine like this - I have yet to find it.
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Cork was mostly whole with streaks to the end. Nose was quite muted but the taste was more expressive. Lovely layers of red fruit that could probably go a little while longer. Apparently, 1972 was a tough vintage in California, but Heitz managed to make a lovely wine.
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Bottle and fill excellent. Cork showed a few fingers of wine soaking up to the top. Decanted and breathing for about an hour. Lovely wine with years of life ahead. I did not get a mint or eucalyptus note, but it was a transcendent wine nonetheless. Better than the 1985 Martha's (also wonderful) and way ahead of several other notable West Coast wines. This wine really shows how great California wines can be when made and aged properly.
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I loved it. Sweet, lovely red fruit with secondary characteristics and a nice soft feel on the palate. Easy to enjoy, still alive and charming, but I suppose it's drawing near its conclusion. I doubt it will improve any, but I guess it may have a few more years left to it, with a graceful decline over the next 5-10 if kept in pristine storage conditions.
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Nose of ripe red fruts, herbs and red bricks. After some time in the glass a cool minty eucalyptus armoma develops, though this element is not as prominent as it was in last bottle that I tasted. Showing wonderfully balanced, concentrated flavor and a soft velvety finish. This is the epitome of a distinctive napa cabernet. This wine appears to be past its peak, and while it still holds up I would drink this beauty relatively soon.
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Wow. My first taste of a Martha's Vineyard Cabernet from Heitz. The mint or eucalyptus on the nose is very unique and seductive. The wine is holding up beautifully after 34 years. Very smooth mature tannin suggests that this wine has reached its peak, but no signs of deterioration. With two bottles left in the cellar, I'll be looking for opportunities to enjoy them near term.
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Old California Wines with Francois Audouze (Jack Falstaff Restaurant - San Francisco, California): Excellent example of aged California Cabernet. Good nose of fruit with a bit of cedar. The color is still a deep red almost to the very edge. The palate is lush and smooth with fully integrated tannins and a long finish. This wine is not a bit tired, and gives a great amount of pleasure. Heitz was making some great stuff in the '70s. This wasn't up to the heights of the 1974, but it was right up there with the best wines of the evening. Alas, my only bottle. I'll be looking for more.
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6/7/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Workshop: Heitz Martha's Vineyard (The Dutch): This felt perhaps like of all the wines the one that was most in its drinking window. Still doing quite well but not sure that this will end up getting significantly better. It's all fresh and minty and black fruits and some additional layers. It's drinking really nicely now.
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9/18/2014 - Wine_lvr wrote: 94 Points
Heitz, Heitz, Heitz and Heitz: Tasting note to follow
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7/19/2013 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Excellent fill/condition; mushrooms, truffle, forest floor; soft wet leather, lovely bouquet with light brown spices; silky, tannins pretty much resolved; slight tart sourness in mid-palate; this sailed for about 20 minutes, then crashed (or the '99 S. Conn Stag's Leap Cab and '05 Arger Martucci Cab completely transformed my palate!). I should've stayed with this a while longer before trying other wines. But quite nice and beautiful while it lasted.
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3/29/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 84 Points
Tobacco, cassis, earth, medium bodied and offering cassis with cranberry flavors, this was past its prime. Drink up.
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1/29/2011 - TomStephenson wrote:
Base neck fill. Purchased from a retailer who seems to have procured it from Sotheby's.
Popped and poured, which was the right decision. Earthy funk on the nose that blew off over time. Aromatics enjoyable, if not pronounced or special.
On the palate someone at the table commented that they would have mistaken it for Bordeaux due to the eucalyptus and lead pencil.
That said, I found the palate to be signature (old school) California. Dry baker's chocolate, tobacco, and deep, dark fruit dominant with noticeable, though subtle vanillan oak -- but not in an aggressive or unpleasant way. In fact, I'm certain that it knit together a wine that would have been a bit astringent without proper oak treatment . Dense, concentrated, and chewy in flavor though the body was as medium as you get. This wine was very enjoyable and certainly at apogee 38 years later. There's no reason to think that properly cellared examples couldn't hold on for another 5-10.
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7/7/2010 - vindictive wrote:
Bottle and fill were in good shape, but under the capsule there were a few tiny streaks of seepage on the top of the cork. No problems, however, similar to last note - superb. I hope that someone in California today is making wine like this - I have yet to find it.
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3/21/2010 - Brsed wrote: 94 Points
Cork was mostly whole with streaks to the end. Nose was quite muted but the taste was more expressive. Lovely layers of red fruit that could probably go a little while longer. Apparently, 1972 was a tough vintage in California, but Heitz managed to make a lovely wine.
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1/3/2009 - vindictive wrote:
Bottle and fill excellent. Cork showed a few fingers of wine soaking up to the top. Decanted and breathing for about an hour. Lovely wine with years of life ahead. I did not get a mint or eucalyptus note, but it was a transcendent wine nonetheless. Better than the 1985 Martha's (also wonderful) and way ahead of several other notable West Coast wines. This wine really shows how great California wines can be when made and aged properly.
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11/6/2007 - bingedrinker wrote: 94 Points
I loved it. Sweet, lovely red fruit with secondary characteristics and a nice soft feel on the palate. Easy to enjoy, still alive and charming, but I suppose it's drawing near its conclusion. I doubt it will improve any, but I guess it may have a few more years left to it, with a graceful decline over the next 5-10 if kept in pristine storage conditions.
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3/18/2007 - SPierson wrote: 88 Points
Still has fruit, deep red; very enjoyable; decanted for 30 min. Very nicely built.
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1/8/2007 - randomly wrote: 92 Points
tired
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6/18/2006 - Giladog wrote: 96 Points
Nose of ripe red fruts, herbs and red bricks. After some time in the glass a cool minty eucalyptus armoma develops, though this element is not as prominent as it was in last bottle that I tasted. Showing wonderfully balanced, concentrated flavor and a soft velvety finish. This is the epitome of a distinctive napa cabernet. This wine appears to be past its peak, and while it still holds up I would drink this beauty relatively soon.
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6/8/2006 - Giladog wrote: 97 Points
Wow. My first taste of a Martha's Vineyard Cabernet from Heitz. The mint or eucalyptus on the nose is very unique and seductive. The wine is holding up beautifully after 34 years. Very smooth mature tannin suggests that this wine has reached its peak, but no signs of deterioration. With two bottles left in the cellar, I'll be looking for opportunities to enjoy them near term.
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5/15/2006 - jamiekutch wrote:
San Francisco MONSTER Offline - 31 Notes, Pictures & Review of the Evening: Very very good. Great balance and finesse with hints of chocolate and dark fruit. After tasting two examples of Martha's tonight, I am a big fan of the vineyard in this era.
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5/1/2006 - PaulH wrote: 92 Points
Old California Wines with Francois Audouze (Jack Falstaff Restaurant - San Francisco, California): Excellent example of aged California Cabernet. Good nose of fruit with a bit of cedar. The color is still a deep red almost to the very edge. The palate is lush and smooth with fully integrated tannins and a long finish. This wine is not a bit tired, and gives a great amount of pleasure. Heitz was making some great stuff in the '70s. This wasn't up to the heights of the 1974, but it was right up there with the best wines of the evening. Alas, my only bottle. I'll be looking for more.
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