Ryan Guy

9.3

Opened up after a few hour decant, but still needed a marbled steak for balance. Deep dark blackberry pie, tobacco, evergreen needles, and uplifted cranberry. Well balanced with great purity of fruit and persistent length. American oak flavors surround both red and black forest berries. Still very youthful... definitely decant or cellar. — 5 years ago

Dean Erstad

9.2

Great wine for the price. At first sip doesn’t seem like much then the flavors surround your tongue. Very good. Burgers and wine. — 5 years ago

J. Kim

9.0

An outstanding producer, the fruit quality and the winemaking rival the very best in Burgundy. Concentration and dimension combined with the aromas and flavors that surround the palate. The structure has a complete integrity and the surface has an immaculate polish. — 6 years ago

Clarke Gasper

9.2

Green apple, lemon pith, and cream surround a mineral core and a pleasant round acidity. ABV is a tad too high but otherwise a perfect foil for homemade tortilla soup! 😊 — 6 years ago

with Matthew

Austin Blackwell

9.1

Layers of cherries and some floral aromas surround a nice mineral core. Great acidity and tension on the palate with medium tannins make this a very good food wine. Enjoyed every moment of the finish with wonderful company:) — 6 years ago

with Angelina

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2016 ‘Arnaut’ is a sensational Syrah sourced from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. This was aged for 16 months in 15% new French oak prior to bottling. Smoky and savory tones excite on the nose with red and dark fruits and a semblance of creosote aromatics all evolve in the glass. The palate has a seamless quality that runs through the mid-palate. Ripe boysenberry jam, mocha, tar and Asian spices with herbal undertones all surround this beautiful wine. While gorgeous in its youth, this has the stuffing to cellar well for a decade or more. If enjoying in its youth, be sure to give this at least a one hour decant. Drink 2019-2029- 95 — 6 years ago

Bill Belanger

9.1

Full, reflecting both the constituent grapes and the various berries that surround the vineyards. As others have mentioned, the wine is buttressed by strong mineral taste from the shallow limestone under the fields. Altogether a wonder drinking and eating achievement!! — 7 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.7

Like an elegant Pomerol, impeccable fruits concentration with a high definition, Dolby surround complexity. Fresh black fruits with a bunch of fresh strawberries and a very integrated spicy oak carpet luring in the background. Silencing texture on the palate with the finest of tannins and a long evolving finish. — 5 years ago

Orla Sather

9.4

Rich plum flavors surround my mouth with added cherry. The structure is complex but lovely when it finishes with coffee & hints of pistachio. — 5 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.2

We finished this off tonight as well. What began as a young bruiser full of firm tannins eventually opened into a beautifully finessed picture of elegance. Exotic spice & floral aromatics surround the fresh cherry notes here. Ethereal palate weight balanced the power here. Very nice. — 5 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.4

This is bigger but delicious. Salty air nose with savory clove, soy, and mushroom aromas surround blueberry and jammy cherry. Fine tannins so it’s still transparent and elegant. — 6 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.7

The 2016 Saint-Joseph from Pierre Gonon is utterly brilliant. This dazzling wine instantly bursts open with vivid aromas of fresh blackberries and red berries along with violets, salted meat, black olives, pepper, smoke and dried savory herbs. On the palate this is full-bodied, backed by beautiful polished tannins that surround a juicy core of fresh dark berries laced with pepper and spice flavors. On the palate this displays remarkable balance and concentration as well as striking freshness and purity all the way through the long expansive finish. Showing incredible youthful energy and vibrancy, this also displays serious aging potential. — 6 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.2

Interesting aroma of cedar and sandalwood surround the core of dark Cherry and layered strawberry. Palate shows great depth and bright cherries coupled with savory notes from well integrated oak and some pomegranate. Long finish and I’m planning to hold my other one for at least another year before diving in. — 6 years ago

Ryan Guy

9.1

Needed a couple hours to open... but shines when it gets there. Structured nose of blackberry, cassis, pipe smoke, tar, and green pepper. Not too funky. Bold and rich mouthfeel, with a punch of mid palate acidity partnered by fresh red cherry. Chalky tannins surround and drive a herbaceous finish. Medium weight. Drink or hold. — 7 years ago

Dean Bernal Sr.

9.3

2012 Purple Angel. Camenere grapes surround your taste buds as if you’re standing in a field of violets. A gem that requires the delicate hand of the jeweler to coax out the layers of flavors, blue & black berries fresh picked from the vine along with hints of vanilla bean & dark chocolate.
Silence is deafening, required & golden.
Shhh, be quiet, come a little closer. 🤫 — 7 years ago

with April, Jeff and 2 others

Ryan Guy

9.2

Starts out youthful and sappy. Opens nicely with air, showing a bouquet of violets, cedar, clove, vanilla, espresso, and dark cherry. Balanced well with bounding acidity leading to gentle yet persistent tannins. Dark forest berries surround a bright cherry core. Oak influence shows too, with appreciate depth. Great showing for a second label. Drink with decant or hold a year or two longer. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I bought 3 or 4 bottles of the 06 Heitz Napa. I think this is my first bottle. I either have none or one left. Better gets notes tonight! I think I gave others away. What was I thinking? Wine is meant to be shared.

What is better than paying around $33 for a bottle of wine, forgetting about it for twelve years and having it blossom on your palate the way it is tonight? This is a prime example of two things; you don’t need to spend a hundred(s) for a really good bottle of wine and their is absolutely no substitution for appropriate cellaring time.

The nose reveals; steeped, dark fruit wading in fruits of ripe/ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate, light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, saddle-wood, graphite, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets.

The body is, rich, ruby and creamy with fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate that shows light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, dark, steeped, black , assorted fruit teas, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, caramel, mocha, saddle-wood, graphite, savory grilled meats, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, moist clay & top soil, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, hints of Provence herbs, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets. The acidy is like a cool waterfall on a warm day. The beautiful, elegant, extremely well knitted balance is in the realm of “forget about it”. Sometimes the right wine, when it’s right, moves the entire body. Such as it is tonight.

The tension, structure, length and balance have just hit their high point and will remain there for another five years into a slow decline over the next 10-15 years, stored impeccably.

This might be the best Napa Heitz I’ve bought & stored. It’s stunning and way over delivering its price point. One complex wine!!!

Photos of; Heitz Winery, tasting bar, tasting room garden patio and the Hwy 29 signage for the tasting room with the valley floor vines that surround their tasting room. — 5 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.2

Dark fruit and full bodied Pinot. Spicy clove and black cherry surround the palate and a long finish. Will wait 2 more years to drink the final one. — 6 years ago

with Angelina

Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

9.3

The structure on this is just unbelievable. I have 3 more bottles in the cellar thank god. Smoke and pummeling earth, tannins surround the entire experience almost instructive, chocolate and sweet vanilla from American Oak, slightly petrol quality and forest floor/wet leaves. This is an amazing wine but it’s simply too early. This is after a 6 hour decant. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Beautiful, dark red, perfume fruits. Black currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, boysenberries, lots of blue fruits, expresso, anise, leather, some graphite, sweet dark moist soils, medium intensity volcanic minerals, limestone with blue and dark red floral bouquet.

The body is full. The tannins are round and nicely soften. The structure, length, tension and balance have hit harmony with plenty of life left ahead. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, boysenberries, loads of blue fruits, expresso roast, anise, dark chocolate, a little caramel, leather, some graphite, leather, dry tobacco, touch of dry herbs, sweet dark moist soils, medium intensity volcanic minerals, limestone and blue and dark red floral bouquet. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is long, very well balanced, elegant, polished and lasts minutes.

Photos of; The barn used for winemaking and to host tastings. The first harvested Cabernet grapes of the season, an old school basket press that decorates their grounds, Estate vines and a giant fan to dry the vines if needed amongst the hilltop mountains that surround the Estate. — 7 years ago