HEITZ CELLAR
NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 2019
WHY BUY: A pair of 98-point Heitz Cellar Cabernets, from two of the most legendary pieces of real estate in the wine world, Oakville and Howell Mountain, that serve to remind us of just how breathtaking Napa at its very best can be: the pure power, the resonant and defined fruit, the drive and intensity, the supple structure, the endless length. Around these two anchors from a fantastic 2019 vintage, we’ve assembled a lineup that amounts to a kind of vineyard tour of Napa terroir, from the classic Rutherford pedigree of Trailside to the rare 2009 Martha’s Vineyard, with nearly two decades of age to its name.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: The Wine Advocate called the 98-point Martha's Vineyard 2019 "one of the best vintages [we] can remember tasting” — the palate "rich and concentrated," with a "vibrant, long-lasting finish framed by oodles of soft tannins." Vinous gave the same 98-point score to the Linda Falls 2019: a "drop-dead gorgeous” wine, it wrote, that "explodes with Howell Mountain intensity allied to a palpable sense of classicism," calling it "a real standout."
OUR TASTING NOTES: Martha's Vineyard remains the anchor here for a reason. For us, the essence of this wine remains its unmistakable Oakville alluvial signature, along with a palate that stays rich without ever tipping into heaviness. The tannins, meanwhile, are soft and polished, portending a long, long life for a simply gorgeous wine. Linda Falls is a wine of volcanic grip and mountain fruit density. The tannins seem carved, and the fruit dark seems to hold a thousand mysteries. Trailside splits the difference between these two polarities. Sourced from sixteen blocks and seven clones across eight soil types, its aromatic and spiced and full of secrets. A complex wine that asks you to come to it before yielding, beautifully.
THE STORY: Continuity, tradition, timeless truths, and the passionate pursuit of full terroir expressiveness: this is what the Heitz family has long stood for. And really, above and beyond all those noble traits, what stands is family, the bedrock of everything that Heitz is and does, going back to the very beginning, when Joe and Alice Heitz purchased their first property, an 8-acre vineyard south of St. Helena, in 1961. Joe had apprenticed under the legendary André Tchelistcheff, and, after a stint running the enology program at Fresno State, felt the time was right to try his own hand at winemaking. The competition was scarce. At that time, the wine industry in America was still slowly emerging out of Prohibition shock, and there were only around two dozen wineries in all of Napa. Three years later, the Heitz's acquired a 160-acre property, first planted to vines in 1880, setting them on a course to become, first, major players in Napa and then on the world stage. In time, its Cabernets came to be coveted by collectors across the globe, and each new release was anticipated as if it were an album drop from a pop star. But for all that, this has remained, and wonderfully, a small operation, with a family's sense of priorities. What is less well-known (because Heitz is not particularly vocal on this point) is that the estate is one of the largest certified organic grape-growers in all of Napa, with approximately three-quarters of the vineyards certified organic.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH: The Martha's Vineyard is the ultimate wine for beef, ideally, a dry-aged ribeye or a peppercorn-crusted tomahawk with enough marbling to meet the wine's richness. Linda Falls, with its mountain structure, makes a kind of magic with braised short ribs or any wild game stew. Trailside is the versatile one here, equally at home with a roast rack of lamb, a three mushroom risotto, or a well-aged hard cheese.
OUR GUARANTEE: We always buy and source directly from the estate, so rest assured: your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Order your bottles and cases today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2027. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NY, OK, or TN. The 2019 Martha's is not available in DC. This offer will expire on Thursday, October 8th, 2026.