2010 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa is an 82,000-case cuvee made from 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and the rest Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. It reveals exuberant notes of red and black fruits intertwined with hints of underbrush, licorice, unsmoked cigar tobacco and oak. Medium to full-bodied and rich, this well-made Cabernet is no shy wine at 14.75% natural alcohol. Drink it over the next 6-10 years. The iconic Louis M. Martini winery was first established eighty years ago on what was previously called the Goldstein Ranch, a large grape growing site that was once an active volcano on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountains. The site has been known for decades as the Monte Rosso Vineyard because of its mountain top setting and red soils. Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel vines were planted here as early as 1890, and the wines are currently being looked after by the third generation of the Martini family, principally Mike Martini. While the top wines are exactly what you would expect for high class wines from a grand cru site, the less expensive offerings are noteworthy values. Tel. (707) 968-3362