Monte Rosso Vineyard

In 1938, Louis M Martini bought a vineyard which straddled the Mayacamas ridge that forms the Napa and Sonoma County line at roughly 1,000 feet. The wines he made from the low-yielding, dry-farmed vines were distinctive for both their ripeness and concentration. Frank Schoonemaker, an important wine writer, merchant, and supporter of California wine who argued wineries there should be building their own brands and nomenclature rather than leaning on French names such as Burgundy and Chablis, suggested Martini capitalize on his unique vineyard and call its product “California Mountain Wine.” The name resonated, the wine sold, and the winery thrived.

That mountain vineyard also became famous under its own name, Monte Rosso, due to the great wines Martini made from there, and those made by other wineries who bought its fruit. The vineyard remains one of California’s best known. It continues to produce excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel which display the soft tannins and ripe fruit made possible by clear, mountain skies and sunny afternoons.

Riedel Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon glass

I recently received a sample of the 2014 Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso. Along with it came a new Cabernet Sauvignon glass, designed jointly by Riedel and the Louis M Martini winemaking team. I tasted that wine, and another from Louis M Martini, in the new glass and two others I typically use.

The Riedel Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon glass has a longer stem, but also a longer bowl than the standard Riedel Vinum Cabernet Sauvignon glass. And, whereas the Riedel Vinum has a wide opening, the new glass tapers much more toward the top. The aperture is about 2.25” rather than nearly 3” for the Riedel Vinum. This should focus the aromas more (and also be a little safer for those who like to engage in vigorous swirling).

It’s a very nice looking glass. More importantly, it really works. I’ve now tried the glass with a few different California Cabernet Sauvignon, not just Louis M Martini wines. And I’ve compared the way those wines show in a variety of glasses. 

The difference is striking. If you drink a lot of California Cabernet Sauvignon, you owe it to yourself to get some of these glasses. (I’ve not tried it with Bordeaux.)  At just $37.50, they’re actually a bargain, given how much better the wines show. They are available from the winery and their online shop.

Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon reviews

2015 Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 90 13.8% 750ml $20.00

This wine comes from vineyards in Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley. The Cabernet Sauvignon, which must be at least 75% of the blend, is rounded out with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Petite Sirah. It aged about 16 months in French and American oak barrels.

It has ruby-purple color and festive aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, leather, bay leaf, spice, and wood in the Riedel Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon glass. In my usual Riedel Vinum Cabernet Sauvignon glass, the nose was very quiet, though the aromas were generally similar. In my Gabriel Glas Gold Edition, intensity was midway between the two Riedels, but the overall vibe was more savory. Bay leaf lead boysenberry, with earth and spice adding interest.

The new glass also made a difference on the palate. Wine flows from both it and the Gabriel Glas directly onto the  middle of the tongue, whereas it spills more broadly and closer to the front of the mouth from the Riedel Vinum. So the Riedel Vinum provides a rounder and whole-mouth attack, but the flavors are less focused, and the wine seems thinner and more tart than in the other glasses. The new glass showed softish, fine-grained tannins and bold flavors of jammy blackberry, spice, black cherry, and bay leaf. The palate from the Gabriel Glas was slightly rounder and softer, with more fruit definition than the Riedel Vinum and a more savory vibe than from the Riedel Louis M. Martini.

All-in-all, the 2015 Louis M Martini Sonoma County is a good Cabernet Sauvignon, fruit forward but with appealing savory qualities and toothsome texture. Drink now through 2023.

2014 Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Valley AVA 93 15.5% 750ml $90

The Monte Rosso Cabernet is deeper in color than the Sonoma County wine, but also ruby-purple. Again, the Riedel Louis M Martini glass offers excellent aromatic intensity, bringing forward red cherry, bing cherry jam, dark spice, coconut, wood, and brown sugar. And the Gabriel Glas experience is again more savory and somewhat less intense, showing mocha, spice, dry tobacco, bing cherry, and wood. Using the Riedel Vinum was like watching a movie wearing ear plugs and a blindfold. You know something is happening, but can only imagine what that might be.

The palate experience between the glasses with the Monte Rosso was along the same lines as with the Sonoma County wine. The Gabriel Glas emphasized the full-body and soft, mouth-enveloping tannins, while offering good balance between fruity and savory elements. From the Riedel Louis M Martini, body was slightly lighter, tannins a bit more structural, and balance was excellent but leaning toward fruit. The flavors were rich with bing cherry, black cherry, spice, coconut, and dark chocolate. The Riedel Vinum’s palate was generally similar to the new Riedel, but much less intense and revealing, and with a greater emphasis on the oak.

The Louls M Martini is a very good Cabernet Sauvignon, fruit-focused with an attractive, oak-inflected backdrop and plenty of velvety tannins. It has the fruit and structure to age well for quite a while. Drink now-2030+

Copyright Fred Swan 2019. Images courtesy of Louis M Martini. All rights reserved.