1974 Heitz Cellar "Martha's Vineyard" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (mid-shoulder fill, signs of past seepage)

The 1974 Heitz “Martha’s Vineyard” is rightfully one of the most famous wines ever produced in the history of California, and the wine continues to cruise along beautifully at age forty-three. The bouquet is very deep and impressively complex, soaring from the glass in a blaze of cherries, blood orange, plenty of eucalyptus, spice elements, grilled venison, lovely soil tones, cigar wrapper and hints of petroleum jelly in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and plush at the core, with great focus and grip, ripe, melting tannins, tangy acids and outstanding balance on the very long and complex finish. This was the first vintage that David Heitz made the wine, as his father Joe was in the hospital with a bad back injury during the harvest (David actually would make daily trips to the hospital with various samples so that Joe could taste how things were progressing in the cellars in ’74), and he certainly hit the ground running! A legendary wine.