Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
(Napa Valley, California) - [DM 99] [WS 94] [JS 94] [WA 93] [VM 93]

Winemaker Notes:
Sourced from Heitz Cellar-owned vineyards throughout the Napa Valley, this is intended to be an exceptional entry point into the classic Heitz style and to highlight all the qualities that make Napa Valley one of the world's premier wine growing regions.

Always crafted to be a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon blend and made in the signature Heitz style to be fresh, elegantly structured, and built with the option for aging or enjoying upon release.

VINTAGE NOTES:
2021 was an outstanding vintage in Napa Valley, one of the best in the last two decades. This is thanks primarily to very dry year without excessive heat spikes that resulted in low yields and small, intensely-flavored berries. The lion's share of the fruit for this blend was harvested before the end of September. The 2021 is in a ripe but fresh style, with polished tannins and ample acidity that will serve well for medium to long-term cellaring.

Vineyard Details: sourced from Rutherford, Oakville, Howell Mountain, St. Helena and Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley

Aging Regimen: Aged 3 years on fine lees in large oak casks (20% new) for 15 months, followed by an additional three months in bottle before release.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Ratings & Reviews

99 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"Remarkably pure and fresh. Pristine black cherry and blackberry, layered with beautiful violet aromas. Everything builds with precision and focus, supported by gorgeously firm, taut, mineral-rich tannins that bring energy and drive. The wine is compact and tightly wound at this youthful stage, its intensity truly emblematic of the vintage." - Jonathan Cristaldi (Mar 2025)

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Ripe, fresh and focused, with a lovely beam of red currant plum coulis that stretches out alongside hints of savory, violet, tobacco and singed cedar. Finishes with a late twang of iron. Nicely done. Drink now through 2038." - JM (Nov 2025)

94 Points - James Suckling:
"Dark fruit aromas of blackberries, bitter chocolate, dried herbs, blackcurrants, black olives and graphite. The palate is full-bodied with a textural, rounded mouthfeel and finely integrated tannins, leading to a savory, fruit-driven finish. Delicious. Drink or hold." (May 2025)

93 Points - Wine Advocate:
"Heitz is on a later release schedule than most other Napa producers, so the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon was the current release when I tasted with Lawrence Wine Estates CEO Carlton McCoy in August 2025. It's a classically proportioned wine, with cedar, vanilla and black cherries all delivered via a medium- to full-bodied palate. It shows excellent structure for an entry-level wine, firm but approachable, with a lengthy finish. It should be a steakhouse staple, and while not inexpensive, it is a solid effort for the price." - Joe Czerwinski (Oct 2025)

93 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is fabulous. Plump and vibrant, with good up-front fruit and bright acids, the 2021 captures the essence of modern classicism that is typical of the Heitz wines today. This is a superb entry-level offering from Heitz. Floral overtones brighten the finish." - Antonio Galloni (Dec 2024)