Heitz Wine Cellars

Heitz Wine Cellars
Location	St. Helena, California, USA
Appellation	Napa Valley AVA
Founded	1961
Key people	Joe and Alce Heitz, founders David Heitz, winemaker Kathleen Heitz, chief operating officer
Known for	Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Trailside Vineyard Cabernet
Varietals	Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Grignolino, Zinfandel
Other products	Rosé, Fortified wine
Tasting	open to the public
Website	www.heitzcellar.com

Heitz Wine Cellars is a California wine producer located within Napa Valley east of the town of St. Helena. An early modern era Napa Valley presence and pioneering exponent of French oak, the estate enjoys a historical renown with the success of its Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and has also been described as a "master of Grignolino".

The origins of the estate was established in 1961 by Joseph (Joe) and Alice Heitz, during a period when the population of Napa Valley wineries had been reduced to the lowest of its decline since the Prohibition of near two dozen, at what is recognized as the turning point of Napa's wine industry.

Born in Princeton, Illinois, Heitz moved to California while enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Following World War II, Heitz began taking classes at UC Davis, achieving a bachelor and eventually a master's degree in viticulture and enology, in 1951 in the first graduating class of seven to do so. Heitz found employment under the wine industry extremes, first at Gallo, and then in 1951 under André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyard as an assistant winemaker where he worked for near ten years.

Having worked as a professor at the enology program at California State University, Fresno for four years, in 1961, Heitz and his wife Alice bought a small 8.5-acre (3.4 ha) vineyard from Leon Brendel named "The One & Only" for $5,000 planted with Grignolino, and went into business for himself, his winemaking production preceding Robert Mondavi's emergence in Oakville.

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Wikipedia