1976 | Heitz Wine Cellar | Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Introduction

Red Wine: 1976 | Heitz Wine Cellar | Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Shows a healthy red garnet color. Strong aromas of mint and eucalyptus, with notes of dried red currant and earth, end up on the dry side, with a gritty edge. Yet this is deeply concentrated, and the flavors are focused, deep and persistent.

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Producer: Heitz Wine Cellar

Ratings: JG | 95 D | 96

Vintage: 1976

Size: 750ml

ABV: 13.5%

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country/Region: United States, California

Shows a healthy red garnet color. Strong aromas of mint and eucalyptus, with notes of dried red currant and earth, end up on the dry side, with a gritty edge. Yet this is deeply concentrated, and the flavors are focused, deep and persistent.

Reviews:

• John Gilman: In the drought years of 1976 and 1977, the Heitz wines that I have tasted are some of the most brilliant examples to be found, and this is certainly true of the 76 Marthas Vineyard. This was the first time that I can recall tasting the 1976 and it is a beautiful bottle of wine that is now at its apogee. The deep and utterly brilliant nose soars from the glass in a complex and pure blend of cherries, blood orange, woodsmoke, mint, a touch of coffee, nutskins, cigar smoke and a wonderfully complex base of soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully transparent, with superb delineation and balance, fine mid-palate depth, melting tannins and stunning length and grip on the dancing finish. A great bottle that shows no signs of the more ‘roasted’ character evident in most Cabernets from this torrid vintage.

• Decanter: Heitz produced terrific wines in the drought vintage of 1976, and Martha’s Vineyard is, as ever, the queen of the cellar. Aromas of dark cherries, cocoa powder, scorched earth, mint and subtle tobacco leaf are followed by a youthful, intense and beautifully focussed palate impression.

Producer Information

Heitz Wine Cellar is an iconic Napa Valley wine producer located just south of St Helena. It is most famous for its single vineyard wines made of Cabernet Sauvignon, and in particular the Martha’s Vineyard wine, which is one of Napa’s “Cult Cabernet” labels. The estate was founded by Joe Heitz in 1961. Heitz had been a professor in the enology department of California State University in Fresno, and had previously assisted the legendary pioneering California winemaker Andr Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyards. Wanting to begin his own project, Heitz bought eight acres (3.4 hectares) of vineyards that were mostly planted with the Italian Grignolino grape. Heitz Cellars continues to make a wine from this variety today. As with many Napa producers, Heitz’s success has been associated with its flagship Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Heitz is the exclusive lease holder of the 35 acre (14 hectare) Martha’s Vineyard in the Oakville AVA and has used its fruit to produce vineyard-designated varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the 1966 vintage. The estate runs vineyards across the wider Napa Valley area, with sites in Oakville, Rutherford, St Helena, Howell Mountain, Oak Knoll District, and Calistoga. Until recently, Heitz generally shied away from using Napa’s sub-AVA titles, choosing instead to use the more generic Napa Valley AVA along with the vineyard name. The style of Heitz’s Cabernet Sauvignon wines has remained consistent over the years. The winery uses French oak over American, and fruit is harvested slightly earlier than much of the rest of the region, giving a wine that is slightly higher in acidity than most. Heitz makes a range of other wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as from other classic Napa varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Heitz was bought by Arkansas-based billionaire Gaylon Lawrence in 2018 and is now part of the Lawrence Family group of holdings which spans interests in agriculture and farming, banking and commercial real estate.