2019 Heitz Cellar, Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California, USA

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard is such a classic wine. The bouquet alone is a dead giveaway. Soaring floral and savory top notes make a strong opening statement. Medium in body and pliant, with terrific persistence, the 2019 is dripping with the essence of site. This is an archetype of Napa Valley classicism with modern purity of red fruit.

Heitz's 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard is one of the best vintages I can remember tasting. Loaded with blackcurrants, it also carries hints of camphor and mocha on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is rich and concentrated, and the vibrant, long-lasting finish is framed by oodles of soft tannins. Readers may want to note that beginning in 2025, grapes from this historic 30-acre site may be sold to other producers, although Heitz is expected to continue to make this bottling from "their" portions of the vineyard.