HEITZ MARTHA'S VINEYARD CABERNET 2018 750ML

In a vintage that played to its strengths, the terrific 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard is a cool, gently herbal wine, loaded with black cherries and cassis, with just a touch of licorice. It's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety without being heavy at all, concentrated and intense, with a long, tannic but ripe finish. Give it a few years in the cellar if you can keep your hands off it.

This red brims with dark currant, cherry and loganberry fruit, but you have to work through a lush swath of menthol to get there, all while notes of sweet tobacco and a hint of loam run underneath. Fine-grained, with a lingering twang of iron, this has all it requires for a lengthy cellar run, yet needs to meld a bit more. Best from 2026 through 2045.

A regal, majestic wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard hovers on the palate, showing its sophisticated personality and pure pedigree. The black cherry, lavender, plum, rose petal, gravel and spice notes fill out the layers effortlessly. There's a bit less of the strong savory character that is such a Martha's signature, but I can't say I miss it, as the purity of the flavors is so precise.