Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso 2018, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California

The Monte Rosso Vineyard rolls across steep, rugged terrain in the majestic Mayacamas Mountains nearly 1,300 feet above the Sonoma Valley. Owned by the Louis M. Martini Winery since 1938, it is named for its rich, red volcanic soils and has produced award-winning wines for three generations. The vineyard’s mix of high altitude, position above the fog, low-yielding vines, and ideal western exposure produces wines with a unique sense of terroir. Monte Rosso is one of California’s most prized locations for wine grapes. The Cabernet grapes were carefully hand harvested by block and hand sorted, then gravity fed into small, open top fermenters for a 3-day cold soak before primary fermentation. After fermentation, the free run juice was drained and the must gently pressed in a 5-ton basket press. The wine was racked by gravity into oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and aging. The blocks were aged separately for months before the final blend was assembled and sent back to barrel to allow the flavors to integrate before bottling. Total barrel aging was 26 months in a mix of 72% new French oak, 16% new American oak and 12% neutral barrels. 2014 vintage – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2014 season was excellent – dry and warm, with early bud break, steady temperatures and long hang time. Consistently mellow temperatures through spring and summer let the grapes ripen fully and evenly, then an unusually long harvest gave us concentrated, well-structured fruit with exceptional quality and depth.

$149.99