Paul J

9.7

This rocked! Refined yet complex. 1hr+ decant. Dark red color. Dark, sweet cherries on the nose. On the palate it reminded me of Pontet Canet and Gargiulo. Fairly big, deep wine. Ample sweetness = dessert in a glass! — 6 days ago

with Brooke

John Malcolm

10

Phenomenal! Sexy and silky smooth. Fabulous bouquet. Full-bodied and beautifully integrated. Milk chocolate, black cherries, blueberries. Satisfying finish. Oh my! — 7 days ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of black currants, black plums, and cedar. On the palate, it's dry, medium acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and a pronounced intensity of primary and secondary flavors. It tastes like blackberries, eucalyptus, graphite, and black cherries with a long finish. This wine is a little off balanced (the eucalyptus flavor is a little too intense), complex, and intense. Overall, I would rate it as very good. Nellie liked it with steak. — 8 days ago

with Nellie

Matthew Cohen

9.3

Nose: elegant white flowers.

Palate: balanced mineral. Green apple. Good density. Burgundian. — 17 days ago

Jerry Raphael

9.1

Notes of dark cherry, blackberry, and a touch of cedar and tobacco. I popped the cork and started drinking it kept on opening and getting better with air. At the BH. — 3 days ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Pristine bottle so much power and life left and still fruit definition. Drinks like first growth Pauillac. What a special era for Napa wine. — 12 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 1997 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of cherry lozenges, star anise, leather, horse blanket, black pepper, organic earth, and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. I recently got to spend some time with Ren and Marilyn Harris of Paradigm and he shared with me that he thought Zinfandel was a variety that has the potential of being longer lived than Cabernet Sauvignon. I didn’t argue with him. Anyway, this is a killer Rafanelli Zinfandel that is aging ever so gracefully. Drink now through 2037. — a month ago

Shay A

9.4

Anytime an older Heitz Martha’s is open, it’s a treat. I’ve tried to acquire a few random bottles over the years and they have consistently impressed (‘78 and ‘01, specifically). My first early ‘90s vintage.

Quick double decant to simply get the wine off sediment as it wouldn’t be consumed from a decanter at the location I would be at.

In my experience, the distinct and typical eucalyptus notes jump right at pop, but this bottle was a little subdued early on. After an hour with the cork out, the eucalyptus, herbs, cedar and red fruit made their entrance. Compared to the ‘91 Hartwell I opened a few months ago, this was more elegant and less dense on the mid-palate. If not for the eucalyptus, I could see this being called left bank Bordeaux with 30yrs on it. Gained some darker red/underripe black fruit notes the longer it was open. Beautiful length at the finish. Bright acidity and tannin. Not getting better, but a wonderful drinking window to enjoy now. — 20 days ago

Tom Garland

9.1

1 hour decant. A striking dark magenta color. On the nose: subtle notes of dark cherry, smoke, pencil shavings, earth, and hints of leather/tobacco. Taste: dark cherry/plum, earth, oak, bitter chocolate, with a slightly astringent tobacco and dried herbs finish. — a month ago

with Brenda

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2019 vintage. Tasted 30 minutes after being opened. Not decanted. Not nearly as gratuitous as the vast majority of 2019’s. Overall, lean but with a pleasant substrate/foundation of dark plum and cassis. A bit tight and would definitely benefit from a 2+hour decanter spa/lounge sesh. 07.15.25 — 17 days ago