Heimark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2017

And...here we are! A few years later, six from harvest, and Galloni was right! This is exquisite! If you’ve never heard of Heimark Vineyard, no worries – most people haven’t. This vineyard, planted some 20 years ago by the Heimark family, is sort of a Napa vineyard secret – a favorite source of cult labels, and rockstar winemakers for years, that also produces a tiny amount of their own, highly allocated bottling. Fruit from this epic parcel on the eastern edge of Napa Valley has found its way into more than a few 100 point wines over the years, and there’s a waiting list for blocks to become available for purchase. Philippe Melka is a long-time fan of this vineyard, even confiding in Antonio Galloni that, “Heimark is like the Pauillac of Napa Valley, with a lot of sophisticated tannins.”

With illustrious clients like Lail Vineyards, Lewis Cellars, Etude Wines, Moone-Tsai, Arkenstone, Soter Vineyards, Araujo Estate Wines, and Dakota Shy Wine – this is a pristine site for growing world-class cabernet sauvignon. Tucked between Calistoga and Saint Helena, east of Silverado Trail, in a canyon that drives east, the Heimark vineyard sits on an immaculate slope of rocky, volcanic soils that tumbled down the canyon from an ancient landslide hundreds of years ago. As you might expect, cabernet sauvignon is king here, and this 100% varietal wine showcases that pedigree beautifully.

Aged in French Oak barrels for twenty months, this wine purrs into the glass with a cool, complex, and layered bouquet of sage, rosemary, black plums, fennel, and graphite. In the mouth, luscious notes of black cherries, mocha, blackberries, lavender, and thyme reveal themselves, delicately framed by a creamy, yet restrained oak profile. Those sophisticated tannins that Monsieur Melka was talking about carry this wine into a long and mineral finish, with an uplifting acidity that grants the wine poise and brightness. This has just entered a beautiful drinking space, but there is a depth and power here that will sustain for another decade easily. This is a scintillating wine and one that belongs on the radar of any passionate Napa cab collector!

PAIRING IDEAS: My choice, especially for drinking in the cooler months, is a classic duck confit with a cassoulet of bacon, leeks, and white beans, all smothered and slowly braised in a rich stock made from the duck bones. Crisp up the confit in a pan and drape over the cassoulet to finish, with a sprinkle of fine herbs. Delicious.