Full, glossy color.  Rich, generous, concentrated high quality nose: quite oaky, with chocolate and black fruit notes.  On the palate, a most impressively creamy texture, prominent but classy tannins, notice the creamy texture, the tannic structure and correct acidity.  Harmonious.  Very seductive.  This is both powerfully rich and discreet at the same time and will make old bones and a more profound wine in the future.  But this is very fine wine already.   Nor is it a crime to be drinking this now; this is clearly showing pedigree and finesse.  Now – 2026.

I would say we generally prefer our pre-1993 (before phylloxera) Heitz Martha’s but the 2001 is a real standout.  Also choose wisely with the Heitz porfolio: we find some of the Cabernets in their portfolio to be over-oaked.  The Heitz recipe calls for three years+ of oak, one in American oak tanks, the remainder in Limousin barrels.  We have found that while the Martha’s in fine vintages has the fruit to take on all that wood the same cannot be said of the other Heitz cabernets (Napa, Trailside, Bella Oaks) and the Heitz portfolio in general in lesser years.