HEITZ CELLAR DRIVER
HEITZ CELLAR FREE

One of his stated strategies for ongoing success was to pay growers, “what their grapes were worth,” in turn increasing the standard of the product he was receiving. Heitz blended and sold the wines to lucrative acclaim. Zellerbach’s pursuit of Burgundian excellence and auctioned off by his widow. In 1963, Heitz bought several barrels of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma, the last vintages of James D. (Today there are over 1,700 registered wineries in Napa, but “only” about 500 have tasting rooms.) This pioneering winery even preceeded Robert Mondavi‘s 1966 start in nearby Oakville. At the time, there were only about two dozen Napa Valley wineries, the lowest number since Prohibition. Helena, California, named “The One & Only,” for $5,000, and went into business for himself. Heitz Cellar was established in 1961, when, after serving his “apprenticeship,” in 1961 Heitz and his wife Alice bought a small 8.5 acre (3.4 ha) vineyard from Leon Brendel in St. Heitz found employment at two wine industry extremes, first at Gallo, and then with the famous André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyard as an assistant winemaker, where he worked for nearly ten years. in the first graduating class of just seven people. After the war ended, Heitz began taking classes at UC Davis, achieving a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree in viticulture and enology in 1951. I may never get a chance to drink this wine I’ve been lusting after for so long.” So here it is.īorn in Princeton, Illinois, Joe Heitz served in the Army Air Force during World War II, and moonlighted during off hours at a winery near Fresno. And it is certainly not a “wine for the casual wine drinker.” But during these uncertain times, I thought, “What the hell.

Martha’s Vineyard is now selling for $250 on release, and, really, I still can’t afford it.

But, sometimes I buy the wine myself, which was the case here.

HEITZ CELLAR FREE

Many of the wines here on Winervana are graciously supplied by producers in exchange for the review (although I am always free to write what I want without constraint).

HEITZ CELLAR DRIVER

The door burst open, and the driver demanded, “I want to try the Martha’s Vineyard!” The bartender calmly responded, “We don’t pour the Martha’s Vineyard here.” (A fact I, sadly, already knew.) The door slammed shut, and he was off. I was about halfway through the tasting when I heard a car grind to a halt outside on the gravel. On a winery tour through Napa valley in the mid-1990s, I stopped at Heitz’s “tasting room,” at least on that visit literally a windowless construction trailer parked by the side of the road. Martha’s Vineyard was selling for about $30 at release then, far more than I could afford, so I wasn’t going to be enjoying it any time soon. I first learned of the Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon in the mid-’70s when a normally generous acquaintance was showing off an unopened bottle, with obviously no intention of sharing. But over all of those years and thousands of wines, two have eluded me, my so-called “unicorn” wines. This is an extraordinary Cabernet – powerful, yet elegant, with all the wonderful aging potential you’ve come to expect from Heitz wines.In my over forty years of drinking wine, I’ve had excellent bottles, bottles I’ve poured down the drain after drinking half a glass, and, mostly, everything in between. There are a luscious weight and texture to the wine, but also a racy edge of well-balanced acidity on the palate. Beautiful aromas of vine-ripened blackberry contrast perfectly with spicy notes of nutmeg. The wines are made with an unwavering commitment to quality from organically farmed, 100% Napa Valley fruit, and a commitment to the sustainability of Napa Valley. In April, 2018, Heitz Cellar entered an exciting new chapter as this rich legacy was passed into the hands of the Lawrence family, whose deep roots in agriculture and commitment to the same core values of fine winemaking made it a perfect match. Fifty-eight years of the Heitz family’s dedication to viticulture, stewardship, and classic winemaking, maintained the winery’s notoriety as a benchmark amongst its peers in California and Europe. In the late 1950’s, pioneering vintner Joe Heitz ushered in Napa’s modern era with his iconic, globally celebrated wines, including Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon, the renowned Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard. Family owned since its founding in 1961, Heitz Cellar’s legacy runs as deep as the roots throughout the Napa Valley a winery legend that has helped shape the history of Napa Valley winemaking.

Heitz cellar