“…boldest of the bunch…” – Decanter

Some wines shout out their instant appeal, while others go quieter, whispering… “I’m a cult wine.”

In 1969, Joe Heitz had André Tchelistcheff. 55 years later, the legacy continues with winemaker Brittany Sherwood at the helm. “Lot C-91 is the culmination of 50 years of tireless effort, trial and error, and the continual desire to make a most unique expression of the heralded vineyards of Heitz Cellar” she says. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Heitz Cellar, and to honor the legacy of Joe and André, Lot C-91 was resurrected, with the majority of the blend coming from the mythical Martha’s Vineyard.

Never heard of C-91? Sounds like a Star Wars droid, doesn’t it? You’re not alone. Agent Noir knows it well from a decade in fine & rare auctions, since it’s historically a very significant name. The short of it? Lot C-91 epitomizes how and why Napa Valley became the single most important wine region in America. Want the long version? Let’s dive into the legacy.

Under his mentor André ‘the Maestro’ Tchelistcheff’s guidance, Joe Heitz’s first harvest was in 1961, and up until 1965, he made one Cabernet from the best possible fruit he could source. One of those sources was a vineyard he called Martha’s and it stood out so much in the blend that in 1966 Heitz made history by releasing the first single vineyard designate Napa Cabernet ever. Martha’s stood the test of time and is arguably the most important and valuable Cabernet ever created.

Yet in 1969, something odd caught Joe and André’s ‘lost in detail’ attentions, when the harvest was so exceptional that along with a Napa blend, and a Martha’s the grapes called for a sum greater than parts cuvée, with Martha’s as the core of it. This then one-off assessment resulted in the 1969 Lot C-91, which today is a true unicorn trending at over $1,000 whenever one surfaces at an auction.

While Martha’s will set you back $300-400 a pop these days, this under-the-radar, yet equally ICONIC 95 POINTER at a price that makes us gasp, is up for the grabs for the day.

That’s all there is to say really, history has the final word.

95 Points – Decanter “In 1969, Joe Heitz made a cuvée that was more outstanding than his Napa Cabernet, but not a single-vineyard bottling. In 2018, after the winery was bought by Gaylon Lawrence Jr., the team at Heitz discovered four bottles and decided they should set out to recreate Joe’s experiment. It is the boldest of the bunch: a delicious hedonistic pleasure filled red with excellent balance and teeming with pure dark fruit notes, rich earthen spices, dried purple florals, cedarwood, tobacco, and dark chocolate - a firm acid backbone frames fine-grained tannins. There is plenty of richness, balanced by tension and energy. Lawrence Wine Estates Master Sommelier and CEO Carlton McCoy calls it the ‘uber Napa cuvée’ and the best multi-site expression of Heitz for the vintage. Drink 2023-2045.”