Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (375ml)

Joe Heitz got to Napa before almost anyone thought Napa was a good idea. He founded Heitz in 1961 and went on to bottle the valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet, Martha’s Vineyard, a wine that helped teach California to think about sites rather than just brands. The estate passed to the Lawrence family in 2018, and this Napa Valley Cabernet remains the house’s calling card: classically proportioned, more about structure and perfume than sheer weight. The 2018 growing season was mild and long, which shows in the wine’s poise. And this is the half-bottle, which is a genuinely useful thing to have around: real Napa Cabernet, right-sized for two people and a steak on a Tuesday.