94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot from Alexander Valley, California.
SRP of $35 and available for as low as $19.99. Sample received courtesy E. & J. Gallo for review purposes.
From the bottle:
"As rich in flavor as in history, this wine is a tribute to three generations of family winemaking experience.
Louis M. Martini built his winery in the Napa Valley in 1933. His passion was Cabernet Sauvignon. Martini planted and acquired top Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma counties to pursue his passion. Today, winemaker Michael Martini continues his grandfather's tradition of crafting rich, complex and beautifully structured wines.
The grapes for this wine were selected from the Alexander Valley, one of the most prestigious growing regions for Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine exhibits aromas of ripe plum, with undertones of anise and leather. Distinct flavors of berry and rich black cherry unfold around firm tannins.
14.8% Alcohol"
Another Cabernet Sauvignon from California? This time with an SRP of $35? Could this wine really stand out from the large crowd of California Cabs from just every possible region of the state? As you can see I was skeptical. It helped that this wine can be found for just under $20 with a little work, but still, we're talking about a taste rating of 9/10 in order to secure a Recommended Buy thanks to the $19.99 price tag. To be honest I didn't think I would be writing this review, but I am, and that means this is one darn good wine. No nose thumbing today.
The 2008 Louis M. Martini Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon begins with succulent aromas of ripe plum, blackberry, licorice and a hint of tobacco. The wine tastes rich and smooth with a velvety texture and features lots of spice and dark fruit. It also has a good dollop of chewy oak but it works thanks to the abundance of fruit. Really nice tannins follow into the dry finish which has good length and some really light lingering tobacco notes. While excellent on its own, this wine is crying out for a steak. One of my wife's favorite wines recently.
We'll also be tasting a couple other Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley and Sonoma County) from Louis Martini in the coming weeks so stay tuned to see if they will get our recommendation too!
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.0
