1998 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard- USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (8/29/2017)
Starts out a little closed and quite primary…darker than I thought it would be at this age? Shy nose of plum, blackberry, cassis, toasted oak, leather, faint dried herbs. Hmmm…in the mouth, really youthful, dark, and monolithic. Big tannins, searing acidity…wtf…is this a barrel sample? Perplexed here. Not getting any mint or euc…and very little complexity. Reminds me of how these wines taste at release, and are in need of serious age. Well…HELLO…this is 19 years old now??? Show me SOMETHING Martha’s??? My cellar is not that cold? Will see what more air does and report back any change. Btw, I’ve had this wine on multiple occasions…they still pull it out at the winery now and then…and have thought it was killer for the vintage! Weird? ±pts (89 pts.)
A few years ago we did a blind vertical of 96-97-98 and the '98 won hands down, I was sure it was the 97. That bottle of 98 showed very well that night.
Sorry yours disappointed
IMHO, Heitz Martha’s golden era was from 1968 (possibly the best Napa CS I have ever tasted) through 1979 although the 1984 and 1985 are first class. Plus these older vintages cost less than Colgin, Harlan, Bryan, and Screaming Eagle at auction.
DoctorJay
They were pouring this in their tasting room in early July when I was there… was showing very well. I wonder how long it was open/decanted. I guess that would’ve been a good question to ask.
I picked up a bottle, so I’ll expect to give it some air.
So its been 2 days and I’m drinking the last 1/4 of the bottle…still perplexed? Buy a current release “Napa Valley” Heitz off the shelf…and you have this wine? Still dark plum, cherry, earth, licorice, monolithic. Doesn’t budge…zero Martha’s herbs and definitely no 19yr old complexity. I don’t detect any tca like mustiness at all. Again…have had this wine on multiple occasions in the past, and all have been a pleasure. Last bottle…chalk it up as an anomaly.
Slow ox’ed a bottle of this tonight for dinner with a delectable couple of Choice grade porterhouses. Was worried when half the cork pulled out, and it took a good 5 minutes of patient wrestling to get the remainder out. First sip after 30 mins in glass was a bit reticent, but then it started to bloom after an hour. By the time we finished the bottle at the 3 hour mark, it had blossomed into a fine representation of Napa cab, but with the unmistakeable Martha’s Vineyard eucalyptus/menthol notes. This has plenty of life in it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this were still chugging along at the 25 year mark.
