Martha's Vineyard California

Martha's Vineyard is a pioneer of Napa Valley. Joe Heitz, one of the greatest individuals of Napa's golden decade of the 1960s as well as one of its most talented winemakers, was directly responsible for Martha's Vineyard's production over the past 45 years.

He spent eight years as the great André Tchelistcheff's right-hand man at Beaulieu Vineyards before beginning his vineyard in 1961. Subsequently, in 1970, he went on to become the first person to market a single-vineyard Napa Valley wine, the 1966 Martha's Vineyard Cabernet.

The vineyard is bordered by massive eucalyptus trees, which are widely attributed with providing Martha's characteristic minty scent and flavor. Furthermore, the plant material is a special clone that yields tiny, thick-skinned berries with high concentration and rich color.

In the mid-1960s, Joe Heitz and Tom May agreed to use Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from May's modest Oakville estate to make Heitz wines. Since 1966, Heitz Cellar has been producing the now-famous Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, one among the three vineyards designated for Cabernet Sauvignons.

About The Company

Martha's Vineyard, Ltd. is a renowned supplier of quality and uncommon wines in the Michigan market.

The company provides outstanding quality wines worldwide. Martha's Vineyard, Ltd. Was established in January 1986 as a welcoming neighborhood wine and specialty cuisine destination renowned for great service and quality. The company's goal is to present customers with the most appealing selection of gourmet food and beverages available anywhere.

Martha's team strives to exceed client expectations with a diverse assortment of quality wines, fresh deli products, handcrafted pastry items, specialty cheeses, exotic groceries, beer, spirits, and cigars. The passionate and educated team is always available to assist with food and beverage combinations and to present the latest goods. As soon as you walk through their door, you will feel right at home.

Each bottle in the inventory has been thoroughly examined and chosen by the experts. Wines are stored in the climate-controlled cellar, which ensures a constant temp of 58°F and 60% humidity.

The Story Behind Martha's Vineyard

Irrefutably, such superior wine wouldn't be there without Martha's Vineyard. This spectacular vineyard is located on a moderate slope on the western end of the valley near the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains roughly south of Oakville. It is the typical western Napa Valley terroir; the soils are a combination of valley floor alluvial silts, gravels, as well as eroded rock from the Mayacamas mountain, with ideal exposures and drainage.

The tale of Martha's Vineyard is fascinating. Tom May, a Santa Barbara teacher, as well as his wife Martha, who comes from a farming family, traveled to Napa Valley in 1963 to own a vine farm and cultivate grapes. The period they chose was ideal since it was several years before Napa Valley began establishing its standing for growing wine.

The Mays purchased 12 acres of vineyard from Doctor Barney Rhodes and his spouse, Bella. In 1960, the Rhodes clan planted grapes on this 12-acre vineyard; however, no wine was ever made or sold from it.

Luckily for Tom and Martha May, the purchased vineyard came out to be ideal for producing Cabernet Sauvignon. The Mays had no clue how impressive the vineyard would be. Tom persuaded his wife to give the title of this exceptional vineyard after her, "Martha's Vineyard" (no relation to the island, which is of the same name, located off the coast of Massachusetts).

Martha's Vineyard is situated on a popular piece of land known as the Rutherford Bench in west Napa Valley (west of Route 29, roughly south of Oakville). The vineyard receives early sun, not afternoon sun, keeping it cool compared to its neighbors to the east. The nights are chilly, and yields remain low.

The berries are tiny, rich purple in shade. They have a very intense flavor and naturally strong acidity. Eucalyptus trees thrive near the vineyard, which may or may not add to the minty flavor of wine. However, the grapes cultivated in the area do lead to the production of rich, deeply flavored wines with spicy, minty notes.

Martha's Vineyard Cabernets are known for their durability; the 1966 vintage, the most famous and the one that established Martha's Vineyard's standing is still one of the favorites. Also, certain wines, like the 1968 Martha's, are unforgettable.

The Heitz clan are the other fortunate individuals in this Martha's Vineyard story. In 1961, Joe and Alice Heitz purchased a small vineyard and cultivated it with Grignolino grapes. Surprisingly, Heitz Wine Cellars continues to make Grignolino wines, both red and rosé, which are regarded as the greatest wines from that grape variety in California.

As the Mays came to Napa Valley in 1965, they discovered two bottles of Heitz wines set out for them, along with a welcome card. Soon afterward, the Mays paid a visit to the Heitz Winery, where they sold Joe Heitz a few of their 1965 vintage wine. Joe Heitz combined the wine with his personal '65 Cabernets, but he observed the Mays' wine was unique. In 1966, Joe Heitz agreed to purchase 100% of the Mays' grapes.

And soon a contract was signed between them.

The 1966 Heitz Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon became stellar and outstanding, and it established history in Napa Valley.

Martha's Vineyard was the very first single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley. (The credit for producing the first single-vineyard wine in California belongs to Ridge Vineyards, as Ridge issued its inaugural Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon in 1965.) Several California wineries now produce Cabernet Sauvignon from just one vineyard.

Martha's Vineyard, completely owned by Tom and Martha May, has been developed entirely by Heitz since 1966; Joe had started acquiring the grapes the year before, combining them with additional sources for his Napa Valley bottling.

However, Tom May asked Joe if he might have a barrel of wine bottled by itself as a portion of the payment for the grapes. Joe was so thrilled with the wine's fullness and character that he quickly consented to bottle it all individually the following year.

All About Heitz Cellars

Joe and Alice Heitz, pioneer Napa cultivators, founded Heitz Cellars in 1961, making it a genuine Napa idol. The estate makes wines that provide an insight into Napa Cabernet of a bygone age. They use an ultra-traditional winemaking approach that has remained virtually intact for the past 60 years. If you desire a large, rich, dense Napa Valley Cabernet, then this is not for you. The Heitz style of wines is brimmed with freshness, and it is likely to gain weight in the bottle with time.

Joe Heitz has an equally innovative and truly unique site selection and method of producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. From the Napa Valley Cabernet to the Single Vineyard bottlings, the wines finish their alcoholic fermentation in massive, ancient 1000-liter American Oak Vats before spending a further year in them.

From there, it's into French oak barriques for another 2-3 years, based on the cuvée. When the wines are bottled, they spend another year at the estate before being released. These constitute some of Napa's historical bottlings, sometimes referred to as the "old world of new."

Martha's Vineyard has traditionally been the company's flagship bottling, with the 1966 vintage being the first vineyard designated bottling from Napa Valley. This is a renowned property on beautiful Oakville land, located below the Harlan estate and adjacent to Kalon. Vintages such as Martha's Vineyard 1974, 1975, and 1978 are frequently found at the top of sophisticated drinkers' wine lists. These wines still offer an exceptional feeling of energy and rejuvenation, as well as Martha's distinctive minty eucalyptus aromas.

The Trailside release comes from the same-name Rutherford vineyard, which is tucked away from the Vaca Mountains on the valley's eastern slope. It tends to offer a fuller expression of Valley fruit compared to Martha's, with dark wild berry fruit, a hint of mocha, earthy, salty flavor notes, and a complex line of fiery dry roast spices that is a hallmark of Trailside.

Lot C-91, introduced in 2016, was redesigned by winemaker Brittany Sherwood from Joe Heitz's initial 1969 blend. The finding of the final few bottles, combined with Joe's notes, inspired Brittany to relaunch this bottling. This originally started as a higher-level version of the Napa Valley Cabernet. It was an assemblage from the estate's best single vineyards that provided an overview of the majesty of these locations in a more accessible and brilliant package.

With Martha's Vineyard accounting for one-third of the blend, is a fascinating resuscitation of a long-lost bottling and a wonderful transition from the sturdy drinkability of the NV Cabernet to the celebrated realm of single vineyards.

In 2018, Heitz was sold to Gaylon Lawrence, an Arkansas businessperson who has quickly become among the Valley's largest landowners through a series of acquisitions.

With the new owner of the company, there is a renewed level of excitement about the property. There have been very few changes in the winery; more exact selections, improved extractions, and a touch less new oak., yet the wines' personalities remain the same. This change of ownership appears to add a new degree of sophistication and finesse across the line, along with a touch of magic to an already outstanding formula. It is like a fresh beginning of Joe Heitz's original idea, which wine-lovers hope will be successful.

Famous Wines of Martha's Vineyard

There have been various wines produced by the company. However below is the list of some of the best Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. Here's a basic overview of the wines:

1. The 2017 Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has a great variety of smell. It is filled with vibrant cherry fruit and a subtle hint of mint that characterizes the wine. Cabernet's delicacy and delicate structure reflect pure refinement. It is now accessible and delicious, yet with the necessary pH balance and backbone for its long-term sustainability. It is rated 95 by the tasters.
2. The 2016 Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, in terms of scent, contains only a hint of eucalyptus, with black cherries and cassis taking the lead. This is robust and rich, wonderfully blending creaminess and texture against linear structure. Moreover, it comes with flavors of raspberries and a delicious finish. With 112 barrels bottled, there is plenty of this wine to go around, assuming you can buy it.
   
3. The 2014 vintage is among the best Napa Valley Cabernets available. At every sip, it emanates class and sophistication. Aromatically, it grabs your attention; the palate will leave you with no option but to sip it. A thundering wine in every sense, emitting traditional mint and eucalyptus flavors with superbly contained strength. The finish is amazing in its duration and persistence. Even after tasting it for five days, it was consistently delectable for the first two and a half days but completely delicious on the fourth day. A great wine, immensely loved by wine-tasters.
4. The 2012 Martha's Vineyard is amazing and distinctive, with stunning harmony and grace. This Cabernet reflects the nearly perfect growth circumstances of the 2012 vintage. It has a delightful, exquisite balance from beginning to end, as well as the wonderful lushness that remains on the palate. All of this is accomplished with great sophistication and purity of varietal flavors.
5. 2010 Martha's Vineyard: This is another great release; no 2011 was produced.
   The 2010 is highly fragrant, with floral and herb aromas. It is soft and silky on the palate, with excellent depth and a long finish. It requires time to mature fully. It is graded as 92 to 93 by the users, with an increased chance that it will improve with time.
6. 2009 Martha's Vineyard: A significantly different wine from the 2010. Martha's 2009 wine is riper, very velvety, and rich, with gentler tannins and an extremely dark hue. It has an earthy scent and a very harmonious palate. More instantly appealing; several tasters preferred it over the 2010. The 2009 version of the wine was rated 91 by the tasters.

Note: The 2010 and 2009 models were available from numerous retailers, with an estimated retail cost of $225 but a standard retail price of approximately $215. The older vintages listed below are available at a handful of stores around the country.

7. 2007 Martha's Vineyard: 2007, with 9 years of age, is superb, demonstrating what this wine is capable of when aged. It is intense, lean (in contrast to many California Cabernets), deep and rich in color, and contains some minty notes. It is now fully balanced, complemented by the sweetness of ripe fruit, and extremely harmonious. A genuine gem and has the ability to last for a long time.

8. 1997 Martha's Vineyard: While 2007 seemed difficult to beat, 1997 exceeded expectations. The fragrances of mint and spice make it better than 2007. It is incredibly dark and dense, rich, and has a long finish on the palate. The 1997 is still young; it will outlast the majority of us. It is a living testimony of the brilliance of Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. It is rated 97 among its tasters.

9. 1987 Martha's Vineyard: The 1987 Martha's is thick and arranged, with a strong mint flavor. The tannins appear to overshadow the fruit. For some tasters, this is a fine but not spectacular Martha's Vineyard.

10. 1978 Martha's Vineyard: This is a great vintage in Napa Valley, and Martha's Vineyard produces one of the top Cabernet Sauvignons. It is lean and solid, focused but delicate, and to an immense extent. This wine has no symptoms of aging. It is a spectacular wine that wine lovers would like to taste again.

The Timeless Winery of Heitz (Martha's Vineyard, California)

Heitz was a true innovator in California winemaking, becoming the first to use a specific vineyard designation on a wine label in 1966.- Martha's Vineyard. Probably one of the few wines that constantly appear in wine-lovers' collections.

In 2018, the Lawrence family acquired the legendary Heitz Cellar. Although the increased funding has allowed winemaker Brittany Sherwood to install updated equipment, the only other notable change is the conversion of all 425 acres of naturally cultivated grapes into biodynamic viticulture. Sherwood joined Heitz in 2012 as part of a global trip that included stops in some of the world's most prestigious wineries.

She came back in 2013, ultimately becoming Director of Winemaking, and has remained committed to the unique style that distinguishes Heitz.

Heitz specializes in single vineyard Cabernet and is best known for the Martha's Vineyard, Trailside, Linda Falls, and Bella Oaks bottlings (which they discontinued 15 years ago, with the 2007 vintage as their final vintage and the grapes are now sold solely to Staglin). In 2019, Eric Asamov (a famous wine critic) conducted a retrospective tasting at Heitz, sampling bottles dating back to 1972.

He properly describes the feeling when he writes, "These wines were superb." However, they were difficult to understand in today's wine world, in my opinion. The Heitz technique of making cabernet sauvignon, which emphasizes high acidity and low pH, contradicts many widely held current notions about how excellent wine should be produced. Many Napa Cabernets may have been developed using similar procedures in the 1970s. What about today? "Heitz is practically unique."

Instead of depending on tannins and alcohol for maturing the wines, Joe Heitz was recognized for using the positive features of naturally existing acid to sustain the wines for long-time aging, which is the reason why practically every bottle of decades-old Heitz that is available is astonishingly bright. To retain the vibrant flavor of their red wines, they also inhibit malolactic fermentation.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Heitz is its labels. There are two dates: the vintage year and the bottling date.

Wines that are not only a good investment but also deserve to be stored in a cellar for personal use. In the list of great stellar wines, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons have and will continue to age well. Heitz is classic, superb, and one-of-a-kind.

FAQs

#1. Who Owned Martha's Vineyard in California?

Heitz had an exclusive contract with Tom and Martha May. Tom and Martha were proprietors of the 34-acre Martha's Vineyard in the Oakville AVA, and during their initial purchasing of fruit in 1965, Heitz combined the fruit with other Cabernet. This eventually led to the Heitz's big breakthrough. (one of the best wine collections in California). However, Martha's Vineyard was sold to the Lawrence family in 2018.

#2. Where Is Heitz Martha's Vineyard Situated?

Heitz Wine Cellar is a well-known Napa Valley winery situated just south of St. Helena. It is best recognized for its single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Also, Martha's Vineyard is among the Napa's "Cult Cabernet".

#3. What Was the Initial Vintage of Heitz Martha's Vineyard?

Vintages: Heitz Cellar, 1966. Since its initial vintage in 1966, the now-iconic Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has held the distinction of being the first wine in Napa Valley to bear the vineyard label.

#4. What Is the Finest Vintage of Heitz Martha's Vineyard?

Introduced by Joe Heitz in 1966, Martha's Vineyard was undoubtedly the most sought-after Cabernet at the dawn of modern California winemaking. Following the outstanding 1966 vintage, spectacular vintages in 1968, 1970, 1974, and 1985 cemented Martha's status as the best of its generation.

#5. Who Is Currently the Owner of Heitz Winery?

Gaylon Lawrence Jr. is the current owner of Heitz Winery. He acquired Heitz in 2018. Brittany Sherwood, the winemaker at Heitz, has been there since 2012.