1978 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard

1978 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Purple in color with a small orange rim and a nose dominated by sweet aromas of cassis, figs, eucalyptus, mint, whole-grain bread, truffles and tobacco.
The tobacco note is reminiscent of the aromatical air in the Viñales valley (Cuba) after rainfall. Classic signs of Martha's Vineyard terroir. Creamy unctuosity, this wine is thick while at the same time precise and elegant. Loads of fresh fruit and glycerin, admirable purity and lenght. This wine was made in a decade where the Napa Valley (not Bordeaux) seemed to be the focal point of all great Cabernets in the world. - Joe (Heitz), this applause is for you. Your wines from Martha's Vineyard teached me more about great Cabernet than all the books I've read. Thank you! - 18.5/20 in my rating system.
Why are today's Cali Cabs oftenly so boring and not nearly as complex as this?

Cheers,
Rainer

[David M. Bueker]

1978 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Why are today's Cali Cabs oftenly so boring and not nearly as complex as this?

There's more than a couple of reasons. Let's run off a couple:

Most of today's Cal Cabs are not 33 years old, and so have not had all that time to develop mature, complext aromas and flavors
The explosion of California Cabernet has meant that there is a whole range of wines, and most of them are not intended for this level of care and contemplation.
Styles have changed - many people appreciate the more modern styles. Many other people do not.

There are some great California Cabernets. Heitz Martha's is a rather singular wine. There's nothing quite like it. I've had some amazing California Cabernets (Monte Bello, Harlan, Screaming Eagle), and none of them were like Heitz Martha's. Of course there's really nothing like Monte Bello either. Same goes for Harlan.

So when you speak of Cali Cabs, which ones are you talking about?

1978 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Why are today's Cali Cabs oftenly so boring and not nearly as complex as this?

So when you speak of Cali Cabs, which ones are you talking about?

Today's Heitz Martha's (after 1991) and Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernets (after 2001) seem modern styled to me, which is a pity in my view.
Also I cannot imagine that a great Cabernet like e.g. 1992 Caymus Special Selection - given its tendency to oxidate with airing - will mature as nicely as the robust Cali Cabs made in the 70ies did.

[David M. Bueker]

Today's Heitz Martha's is from younger vines than were used to produce the '78. Likely different clones as well. Lots of variables.

Dunn hasn't changed much IMO. The wines need decades.

No comment on the Caymus - never could drink the special selection.

Rainer,
As David has mentioned, the phylloxera problem of the '90s forced the uprooting and replanting of many vineyards, including Martha's in that decade. Thus, the current Martha's are being made from comparatively young vines. No doubt that winemaking practice has also changed from then to now, but even had it not the wine would not be the same as those '70s Heitz Martha's. The larger story, of course, is the stylistic tsunami among Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon producers resulting from the critical and popular preference for fruit-forward wines, not the vins de garde of earlier eras. Still, there are some traditionalists left within the confines of Napa: Mayacamas, Corison and perhaps Clos du Val all come to mind. Chappellet and Philip Togni might be two others whose styles haven't changed much, if at all. I'll take your word for any changes that have occurred at Dunn since I last bought any with the '99 vintage.

Mark Lipton

Rainer from CH wrote:
"Also I cannot imagine that a great Cabernet like e.g. 1992 Caymus Special Selection - given its tendency to oxidate with airing - will mature as nicely as the robust Cali Cabs made in the 70ies did.[/quote]"

I would add lots of the cabs from the 80's as well. My cabs from especially 1985, 1986, & 1987 are mostly still drinking wonderfully.

1978 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Why are today's Cali Cabs oftenly so boring and not nearly as complex as this?

So when you speak of Cali Cabs, which ones are you talking about?

Today's Heitz Martha's (after 1991) and Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernets (after 2001) seem modern styled to me, which is a pity in my view.
Also I cannot imagine that a great Cabernet like e.g. 1992 Caymus Special Selection - given its tendency to oxidate with airing - will mature as nicely as the robust Cali Cabs made in the 70ies did.

First of all, congrats on having a great wine. I would love to try that wine but it is well outside my range of purchase nowadays. But having said that, I am still a fan of the current wine. As noted the current vineyard was replanted in the early 90's (92-93 I think) so they were very young vines and most likely different clones. I'm not sure that the Heitz family went out of their way to make a wine very different than the one that they had been making. In fact I think that the newer vintages have started to show well again now that the vines are more mature (as well as the winemaker). I would not write off these wines just yet. Revisit them in 30 years and then see if that statement is true.