Winemaker Notes
Aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant and sage greet the senses. Mountain and benchland vineyards deliver a layered wine with structure, fruit intensity and finesse. Layers of vanilla and cassis are complemented by hints of cedar and a dusty finish on the palate.
Blend: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The winery’s flagship, most widely distributed cabernet sauvignon is 90% varietal, with a mix of the four other red Bordeaux varieties making up the rest. Solidly structured and full-bodied, with dark fruit, moderate to full tannins and some bolstering acidity. Showing some good restraint in its black cherries, blackberries and hints of black olives.
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Decanter
A compact, tightly knit, chewy Cabernet Sauvignon with expressive blackberry, black cherry and graphite notes laced with dried wild herbs and rose petal nuances. The medium to full-bodied finish reveals a host of dried herbs and earth under a canopy of cedarwood spices. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc aged 16 months in 25% predominantly new French oak. In 2023, as Louis M. Martini winery celebrated its 90th anniversary, Mark Williams entered his third harvest as a winemaker (just the fifth since the winery's founding). Williams was promoted to the role after working with Michael Eddy since 2016. Martini was one of the first bonded wineries in America to open post-prohibition.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Primarily sourced from Gallo-owned vineyards, including a small proportion from Monte Rosso (in Sonoma), Martini's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is gently herbal on the nose, moving into mixed red and black cherries. Full-bodied and expansive, it boasts a soft mid-palate, then plentiful dusty tannins on the finish. For the price, it's a very nice bottle of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, even if it lacks the drama and individuality of the winery's higher-level bottlings. Rating: 90+
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.