Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

This is one of the first wines produced after Gallo purchased the old Martini warhorse the previous year. It’s also one of the first wines to be made in the new “micro-winery” that Gallo had installed within the walls of the old winery.What came out of this new facility which includes expensive, state-of-the-art equipment is perhaps one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons for the price made in the Napa Valley in a long while. The blend was made of grapes from all over the valley, including Martini/Gallo’s own Chiles Valley vineyard, and from Yountville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Calistoga read more...and Pope Valley. Ninety percent of the fruit was de-stemmed whole berry and not crushed. It’s very well balanced, with gorgeous wild cherry fruit and a round, smooth texture. It’ll age, too, perhaps for as much as 15 years. Only Gallo, which made 50,000 cases of this wine, could afford to produce a wine of this caliber at this price.The wine spent a year in oak, including 40 percent new French as well as some wood from the U.S. and Hungary. The listed alcohol is 14.2 percent.    (hide)

October 2008

This is one of the first wines produced after Gallo purchased the old Martini warhorse the previous year. It’s also one of the first wines to be made in the new “micro-winery” that Gallo had installed within the walls of the old winery. What came out of this new facility which includes expensive, state-of-the-art equipment is perhaps one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons for the price made in the Napa Valley in a long while. The blend was made of grapes from all over the valley, including Martini/Gallo’s own Chiles Valley vineyard, and from Yountville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Calistoga read more...and Pope Valley. Ninety percent of the fruit was de-stemmed whole berry and not crushed. It’s very well balanced, with gorgeous wild cherry fruit and a round, smooth texture. It’ll age, too, perhaps for as much as 15 years. Only Gallo, which made 50,000 cases of this wine, could afford to produce a wine of this caliber at this price. The wine spent a year in oak, including 40 percent new French as well as some wood from the U.S. and Hungary. The listed alcohol is 14.2 percent.    (hide)

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Sangiovese, 0.5% Petite Verdot, 0.25% Petite Sirah, 0.5% Syrah 85% aged in French and European oak barrels for 11 months The Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a deep garnet, color with intense aromas of cedary oak, currents and black cherries. Concentrated flavors of ripe plums, chocolate and tobacco marry perfectly with the oak nuances. A well structured wine that is balanced with firm, velvety tannins that culminate in a long, elegant finish.

Rating: 89/100 - As reviewed in Wine Advocate # 168 on Dec-06

Rating: 88/100 - As reviewed in Wine Advocate # 168 on Dec-06

No written review

June 2007