Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (1981)
SommeliAI Insights
A mature Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with complex flavors and a smooth finish.
About this wine
The 1981 Heitz Cellar Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon offers a bouquet of cherries, cedar, and sweet oak spices, leading to a palate with mouth-filling cherries and bittersweet chocolate. This wine is noted for its signature complexity and texture, as well as its longevity. The Bella Oaks Vineyard, located in the Rutherford AVA, has been a source of premium Cabernet Sauvignon for Heitz Cellar since 1976. This vintage reflects the classic Napa Valley style of the early 1980s, showcasing the region's ability to produce age-worthy wines with depth and character.
About the grape
Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape variety that thrives in Napa Valley's climate, was exclusively planted in the Bella Oaks Vineyard in 1973, following the advice of Joe Heitz from Heitz Cellar. This decision was bold at the time, as Napa Valley was still recovering from Prohibition and experimenting with its identity. The vineyard's grapes were sold exclusively to Heitz Cellar for 34 years, contributing to the production of their acclaimed single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The 1981 vintage of Heitz Cellar's Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to the successful cultivation of this varietal in the region.
Quick facts
- 🍷 The 1981 Heitz Cellar Bella Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon is renowned for its longevity, with bottles still offering remarkable complexity and depth after decades.
- 🏞️ Heitz Cellar began producing Cabernet Sauvignon from Bella Oaks Vineyard in 1976, marking it as one of Napa Valley's early single-vineyard designations.
- 🍇 The Bella Oaks Vineyard was established by Barney and Belle Rhodes, who were instrumental in promoting Napa Valley's food and wine culture.
- 🍒 The 1981 vintage of this wine was noted for its mouth-filling cherry flavors, complemented by cedar and sweet oak spices, finishing with bittersweet chocolate notes.
- 🛢️ Heitz Cellar's commitment to quality is evident in their practice of aging Cabernet Sauvignons in oak for over three years, contributing to the wine's complexity and aging potential.
Palate profile
Producer
Heitz Cellar, established in 1961 by Joe and Alice Heitz, is a pioneering Napa Valley winery renowned for producing the region's first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon, the iconic Martha's Vineyard. In 2018, the Lawrence family acquired the estate, continuing its legacy of crafting classic wines from organically farmed vineyards. The winery's historic stone cellar, dating back to 1898, reflects its deep roots in Napa's winemaking heritage.
