| Score: |
93 JG.
"This was my third bottle of the 1977 Bella Oaks Vineyard cabernet from the Heitz family and it has consistently shown beautifully. I am starting to come around to the impression that this is my favorite vintage for this cuvée, though perhaps a few of the younger ones I have in my cellar will eventually reach this same outstanding level. The bouquet on the 1977 Bella Oaks is very precise and pure, jumping from the glass in a vibrant mix of cherries, allspice, cigar smoke, a touch of cumin, a lovely base of soil tones, a dollop of petroleum jelly, dried eucalyptus and a discreet framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impeccably balanced, with tangy acids, a great core of fruit, still a dollop of buried tannins and a long, complex and energetic finish. As the Heitz family does not allow their cabernets to go through malo, this wine is still very bouncy and has tons of life ahead of it. Great juice." John Gilman, View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2019, Issue #82 |