2018 Heitz Cellar, Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA

Medium ruby in colour. Very juicy, sweet red raspberry and strawberry notes. Bright acidity that runs the length of the palate. A lighter-weight, refreshing style of Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Drink 2023 - 2030

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard is a powerful, deep, expressive Rutherford offering. Dark-toned fruit, spice, leather, tobacco and mocha lend considerable complexity. A bit of new oak needs to be integrated, but this is nicely done. The 2018 offers an intriguing mix of classicism and modern flash.

These new releases from Heitz, particularly the Cabernets, are transitional wines under its new ownership. The style of these wines remains quite classic, just as it always has been, with some refinements introduced by CEO Carlton McCoy and Winemaker Brittany Sherwood. Ageing is still quite long by Napa Valley standards. One of the changes at Heitz has been the introduction of larger-format oak in place of barrique for the final three years of ageing.

Investor Gaylon Lawrence acquired Heitz in 2018, the year those casks were new. As a result, the 2018s currently show a bit more new oak influence than is consistent with the long-term house style here. It will be interesting to see how the wines develop. I suspect the new oak signature will diminish as the large casks age.

Drink 2025 - 2038