Heitz Cellar "Trailside Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
(Napa Valley, California) - [WS 94] [TWI 93] [WA 93] [VM 92]

Winemaker Notes:
Family owned since its founding in 1961, Heitz Cellar’s legacy runs as deep as the roots throughout the Napa Valley; a winery legend that has helped shape the history of Napa Valley winemaking. In the late 1950’s, pioneering vintner Joe Heitz ushered in Napa’s modern era with his iconic, globally celebrated wines, including Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon, the renowned Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard. Fifty-eight years of the Heitz family’s dedication to viticulture, stewardship, and classic winemaking, maintained the winery’s notoriety as a benchmark amongst its peers in California and Europe.

A tapestry of sixteen blocks of cabernet sauvignon, planted with seven different clones, in layers of eight different soil types covering eighty five acres; our magical Trailside Vineyard is the quintessential expression of the Rutherford terroir.

“The alluvial soil combined with a gradual slope towards Conn Creek makes this site ‘textbook perfect’ for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. We have planted the vines on an east-west orientation to evenly ripen the fruit throughout the day with dappled, gentle sunlight, resulting in small berries and ultimately, a smooth and concentrated wine.” – Brittany Sherwood, Winemaker

The Cabernet Sauvignons see 40% new oak (for the blended wines), up to 60% for the single-vineyard bottlings. Ferments are long and cool, to preserve fruit while avoiding harsh extraction. Uniquely for Napa, the wines are pressed before dryness into large uprights, where they undergo malolactic fermentation before going into barrel, approximately nine months later. 

Tasting Notes:
The palate is the essence of what has made Rutherford one of the most sought after appellations for Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. Subtle tart and ripe red fruits with an unmistakable opulence and approachability can be found in waves throughout. The wine concludes with savory winter herbs of English thyme and bay laurel that carry for remarkable length.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Sleek and focused, with notes of damson plum, red currant coulis and dark cherry preserves corseted tightly with singed tobacco, cast iron and loam accents. Cedar and sanguine notes add a twang amid the dark fruit, giving the finish a mouthwatering edge. A little patience required. Best from 2026 through 2040." - James Molesworth (Jul 2024)

93 Points - The Wine Independent:
"The 2018 Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of black cherries, blackcurrant pastilles, and ripe plums hop from the glass, leading to hints of cedar chest, dried mint, and Indian spices. The medium-bodied palate is spicy and vibrant, with a firm structure of grainy tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing on a lingering cedar and spice note." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Jul 2024)

93+ Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard comes from a site off the Silverado Trail, not far from Mumm. Gentle herbal notes of bay leaf or mint accent cherries on the nose, giving it an almost medicinal tinge, while the medium-bodied palate is silky but firm, bright, cool and refreshing on the finish." - Joe Czerwinski (Jul 2024)

92 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard is a powerful, deep and expressive Rutherford offering. Dark-toned fruit, spice, leather, tobacco and mocha lend considerable complexity. There's a bit of new oak that needs to integrate, but this is nicely done. The 2018 offers an intriguing mix of classicism and modern flash. (Drink between 2025-2038)." - Antonio Galloni (Jan 2023)