The 1974 Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard comes from a strong Napa vintage and from one of the valley's first single-vineyard Cabernets. Now over 50 years old, it is a rare chance to taste the early history of Napa Valley.
About This Wine
In 1974 Joe Heitz injured his back just before harvest, so his son David, fresh from his oenology degree, brought in and made the wine with tank samples carried to his father's bedside. It was David's first vintage. The wine spent a long time in large American oak and then Limousin barrels before bottling. In 1999 Wine Spectator included it in its twelve Wines of the Century, and it is still well regarded in recent tastings.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Mint and eucalyptus over blackcurrant, dried cherry, cigar wrapper, tilled earth and liquorice.
- Palate: Mature and still lively, with a core of dark fruit, bright acidity, savoury herbs and fully softened tannins.
- Finish: Fresh and lasting, with mint, coffee and red fruit.
Serving & Food
Stand the bottle upright for a day or two, then decant gently just before serving to leave sediment behind. Serve at 16 to 17°C in a Bordeaux glass and drink soon after opening. Condition varies with storage. Pair simply: roast lamb, beef Wellington or a slice of aged Parmigiano.
How to Enjoy
Milestone birthdays and anniversaries, and anyone interested in the history of Napa Cabernet.
Product Details
Producer: Heitz Cellar
Vineyard: Martha’s Vineyard
Vintage: 1974
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley, California
Appellation: Napa Valley (Oakville)
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 13%
Bottle size: 750ml
About the Winery
Joe Heitz spent years as André Tchelistcheff's right-hand man at Beaulieu Vineyard before founding Heitz Cellar with his wife Alice in 1961. From 1965 he bought Cabernet from Tom and Martha May, who had bought a young vineyard west of Highway 29 just south of Oakville from Barney and Belle Rhodes. The fruit impressed Joe so much that from 1966 he bottled it separately as Martha's Vineyard, among the first vineyard-designated wines in Napa.
The site sits on a gentle, gravelly slope at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains and gets less direct sun than some neighbours, so it ripens slowly. Its old clone gave small, thick-skinned berries and a signature mint and eucalyptus character.
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