A winery that has held the name of its founder for more than 80 years must stand for something far beyond the commonplace.
The Louis M. Martini Winery has been around since 1933, beginning in business with the end of the infamous Prohibition period.
The driving spirit behind this was the indomitable personality of its founder, Louis M. Martini. While Louis M.’s winery began by producing the usual California cornucopia of varieties, his main objective was to grow and produce exceptional cabernet sauvignon wines to rival those coming from France which, at that time, was the king of the hill.
The wines he produced became the trendsetters for the variety and set the style which many wineries still follow today.
One of Martini’s pet peeves was the overuse of oak to mask inferior grapes and/or poor winemaking. He would always say, “If you can smell oak; if you can taste oak; it’s too much oak.” Today, Louis M.’s grandson Michael carries on the family tradition by continuing to producing uncompromisingly exceptional wines.
The Louis M. Martini Winery still concentrates for the most part on the one variety, cabernet sauvignon. In doing so, they open themselves to a barrage of criticism. Anyone interested in wine often considers themselves to be a cabernet sauvignon expert, be they one or not. Open a bottle of a cab in front of any assemblage and there is bound to be a very heated discussion.
This means all the Louis M. Martini cabernet sauvignon wines will be tasted with a Sword of Damocles hanging over them. Despite this, the wines of Louis M. Martini pass the test with flying colors.
Louis M. Martini 2011 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon ($18)This wine is the stylistic backbone of the winery and helps show the course other cabs from the same vintage will take.
All of the interesting and enticing flavors found in far more costly cabernet sauvignon wines are present in this gem. The lush flavor of plum jam and loganberries are underscored by gentle oak and a long, complex finish.
It is a prime example of a truly well-made cab.
Louis M. Martini 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($34)The direction a wine will take is made in the fields. The location of the grape vineyard makes a huge difference in the finished product. The Napa Valley is noted for its fine cabernet sauvignon grapes, and the wines made from them unquestionably prove it.
The Louis M. Martini 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is, without question, a modern California cabernet sauvignon, in that it stresses big fruit aromas and flavors. Black cherry and blackberry are the featured flavors, followed closely by cedar and toast.
The tannins, the component of a red wine that produces the dry sensation in the cheeks, are held in check and combine with the rest of the elements in the wine to produce a velvety mouth feel.
We found this to be an excellent wine that can accompany a broad spectrum of summer meat dishes and should not be relegated solely to heavy red meats.
Louis M. Martini 2010 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($30)Within the Napa Valley there are small areas that produce exceptional grapes that impart their own special nuances to the finished wine. The Louis M. Martini 2010 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is one of them. This wine is among the best cabs produced by the winery.
The wine showcases the ripe, round flavors of black cherry, blueberry, spice and licorice with a hint of toasty oak flavors. Many months of barrel aging contribute to sweet wood aromas and good tannic structure for extended cellaring.
This wine is a picture-perfect representation of what a fine cabernet sauvignon from the Alexander Valley should be.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.[[In-content Ad]]
