1970 Napa Valley Vintage

The 1970 growing season in California began with a chilly start that created early challenges for viticulturalists. Despite this cool opening, conditions improved sufficiently to allow the vintage to be considered largely a success. The wines that emerged, particularly from Cabernet Sauvignon, displayed the kind of structure and acidity that would serve them well over decades in the cellar. At the time, viticultural knowledge and cellar practices were still developing across the valley, adding texture to what the vintage ultimately achieved.

• Cool start to the growing season set the tone for a restrained, structured style of wine
• Final conditions allowed adequate ripeness, particularly for Cabernet Sauvignon
• Winemaking practices of the era favored large neutral oak vessels and minimal intervention, shaping the vintage's character

In 1970, Napa Valley's sub-regional identity was still emerging, with fewer than 70 wineries operating across the valley. The mountain appellations showed particular promise. Mayacamas Vineyards, perched high on Mt. Veeder in the Mayacamas Mountains at elevations up to 2,400 feet, produced a Cabernet Sauvignon notable for its intense tannic structure and remarkable longevity. The valley floor, including the Oakville area where Martha's Vineyard is situated, also delivered wines of exceptional concentration and complexity. Ridge Vineyards' Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon from the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains was another California standout of this era.

• Mt. Veeder: high-altitude, volcanic soils produced powerful, tannic Cabernets built for long aging
• Oakville valley floor: site of Martha's Vineyard, delivering rich, complex Cabernet with minty, cedar character
• The region had approximately 67 wineries in total, making the vintage's quality achievements all the more remarkable

Heitz Cellar's 1970 Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon stands as the defining wine of the vintage. Crafted from fruit sourced from Tom and Martha May's 34-acre Oakville vineyard under an exclusive agreement begun in 1965, the wine became famous for its signature minty, eucalyptus-driven bouquet and warm, velvety texture. In a 1975 blind tasting, it ranked first against eight Bordeaux wines including Chateau Latour and Mouton Rothschild. At the 1976 Judgment of Paris it placed ninth of ten red wines, and in the 2006 30th anniversary re-tasting it tied for third. Mayacamas Vineyards, under Bob Travers who took over in 1968, also produced a 1970 Cabernet celebrated for its massive tannic backbone and complex secondary evolution over time.

• Heitz Martha's Vineyard 1970: minty, cassis aromas, velvety texture, rated 95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
• Mayacamas 1970 Cabernet Sauvignon: massively tannic upon release, with classic red fruit, cedar, and leather complexity with age
• Both wines competed impressively in historic blind tastings against top Bordeaux in the 1970s and beyond

At more than 55 years of age, the finest 1970 Napa Cabernets are rare and fragile. Well-stored examples from top producers such as Heitz Martha's Vineyard have been described in recent vertical tastings as still showing vivid color, complex secondary aromas of leather, dried herb, cedar, and mint, and surprisingly vital fruit. Provenance and storage conditions are critical at this age. Most wines from lesser producers or those without ideal cellaring history should be considered well past their peak. Bottles at auction require careful research and trustworthy provenance documentation.

• Top examples from Heitz and Mayacamas may still offer complexity and vitality when properly stored
• Expect brick-red to garnet color, fully resolved tannins, and dominant secondary and tertiary flavors
• Rigorous provenance verification is essential before purchasing any bottle at this age

The 1970 vintage represents a key moment in Napa's transition from a regional agricultural area to a world-class wine region. Industry veteran Andy Beckstoffer has described a 'sea change in the Napa Valley starting in 1970.' At the time there were approximately 67 wineries in the valley; today there are over 400. The 1976 Judgment of Paris, organized by Steven Spurrier on May 24 to mark the American Bicentennial, used the 1970 Heitz Martha's Vineyard and the 1971 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon as California entries in the red wine flight, with a California wine, the 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet, ultimately taking top honors. The wines of the 1970 vintage helped build the case that California Cabernet could hold its own against the finest Bordeaux.

• Approximately 67 wineries operated in Napa in 1970; the 1976 Judgment of Paris helped trigger explosive growth
• The 1970 Heitz Martha's Vineyard placed first in a 1975 blind tasting against Bordeaux first growths
• The vintage preceded and directly informed the global recognition Napa earned through the 1976 Paris tasting

Cabernet Sauvignons from the 1970 Napa vintage reflect the winemaking approach of the era. Fermentation was commonly carried out in large redwood vats or stainless steel, followed by extended aging in large-format neutral oak casks rather than the small new French barriques that would become standard in later decades. Heitz Cellar aged Martha's Vineyard in large neutral American oak casks for a year before transferring to French Limousin oak barriques for three additional years. Mayacamas under Bob Travers used old, large-format neutral foudres, some in use since the 1920s. The resulting wines were deeply structured, with natural acidity preserved by minimal new oak influence and capable of extraordinary longevity.

• Large neutral oak vessels dominant: preserved acidity and natural fruit character without heavy wood influence
• Heitz Martha's Vineyard aged over four years in oak before release, building exceptional tannic architecture
• Mayacamas fermented in wood-covered cement tanks, maintaining high natural acidity central to the wine's aging ability