Our Wines

The complex and textured palate showcases flavors of blackberry crumble and star anise offset by earthy undertones and toasty oak. Built for your cellar, this wine will age gracefully over the years to come. A true mountain-grown Cabernet, this wine is unmistakably rustic. On the nose, dominant notes of ripe blackberries, crème de cassis and dark chocolate truffles are complemented by bay leaf and fine leather. <br><br> <b>Viticultural Notes:</b><br> The inaugural release of our Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon lives up to the appellation’s reputation for producing some of the biggest, most age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon.  A true mountain-grown Cabernet, this wine is unmistakably rustic. On the nose, dominant notes of ripe blackberries, crème de cassis and dark chocolate truffles are complemented by bay leaf and fine leather. The complex and textured palate showcases flavors of blackberry crumble and star anise offset by earthy undertones and toasty oak. Built for your cellar, this wine will age gracefully over the years to come. The last to be harvested of all our wines, these grapes were hand-picked in late October. Fermentation took place in small open-top tanks, allowing for precise and gentle extraction of color and flavor. Each lot was aged in French oak barrels and evaluated individually, with the final blend occurring the summer of the following year. In total, the wine was aged for 26 months in barrel (82% new) and a year in bottle. <br><br> <b>Winemaker Notes:</b><br> Grape growing on Howell Mountain requires the practice of patience. On a sunny yet cool hillside, these inconspicuous vineyards surrounded by a thicket of Redwood trees yield highly concentrated fruit that takes longer to ripen. In 2017, abundant winter rainfall fueled vine growth early in the season. A mild spring, followed by steady warmth in the summer and fall, led to a slightly early harvest with ripe, fruit-driven intensity.

Our Monte Rosso Mountain Red is a dark, jammy , juicy red wine with a concentrated and smoothly integrated palate and finish. The intensely aromatic blend wafts with aromas of huckleberry, violets and balsamic, and the rich palate includes a mélange of dark fruit notes, leading to hints of Luxardo cherry, vanilla and Monte Rosso’s signature spices, including cinnamon and star anise. It has Monte Rosso’s classic frame of balanced acidity and notes of iron. The wine’s depth, mouthwatering fruit and lush mouthfeel display the extraordinary complexity that can be produced from this world class mountain vineyard.Our Mountain Red is crafted from select blocks on the legendary Monte Rosso Vineyard. Every vintage offers a distinct, vivid expression of this renowned site. The 2015 growing season on the mountaintop was another in a string of warm, dry seasons and one of the earliest we’ve seen. It started with unseasonably warm temperatures in late winter and spring, leading to an early bud break. A cool May during bloom created a smaller than average crop, then mild weather through spring, summer and harvest allowed slow, even ripening that built full ripeness and complexity. The result was grapes with intense aromatics, concentrated ripe fruit flavors and outstanding structure and balance.

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 line, 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. Select Cabernet Sauvignon blocks were carefully hand harvested and hand sorted, then gravity fed into small, open top fermenters for cold soak of up to five days. After fermentation, 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 for more aging. The wine was barrel aged for 26 months in a combination of French oak barrels, 75% new, and American oak barrels, 19% new.

Vibrant aromas of pomegranate and red currant burst from the glass and are complemented by hints of white pepper and black tea. The focused palate unveils the earthiness of Monte Rosso vineyard with notes of crushed clay, Sichuan pepper with citrus overtones of pine and a toasted, brown spice finish. Incredibly balanced, this wine showcases energetic acidity and intent tannins that carry through the long finish.

Our 2020 Cellar No. 254 Napa Valley Merlot pays tribute Louis P. Martini, who bottled the first varietally labeled Merlot in the United States nearly a half-century ago. Aromas of black tea mingle with dried cherry and cola, before revealing notes of rhubarb pie and red plum on the palate. Luscious and supple, our Merlot delivers a long finish garnished with a touch of freshly shaved chocolate.

Our 2019 Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the stellar 2019 vintage of all five Bordeaux varieties. Classic and well-structured, our Cabernet Sauvignon brims with soft and approachable notes of black plum and wisps of fennel on the nose. Layers of dark cherry and cassis are unscored by hints of black licorice and a gravelly earthiness. The oak is well-integrated, imparting notes of sweet aromatics, resin and a bit of torn mint on the long finish. This wine is incredibly enjoyable now and will age for years to come.

Our 2014 Lot 1 Cabernet Sauvignon has impressive depth, power and complexity—perennial hallmarks of Lot 1—starting with the intense aromas of blackberry jam, boysenberry and crème brulee. The palate has striking power and breadth and is filled with flavors that include blackberry, cherry, black currant and caramel in a plush mouthfeel. The exceptionally long, polished finish evolves with layers of fruit and toasted oak. The fine tannins and outstanding balance of power and elegance will allow this wine to age for decades.

The historic Monte Rosso Vineyard is one of California’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon plantings that dates back to 1880. Located in the Moon Mountain subregion of Sonoma Valley, it sits in the shadow of the Mayacama mountain range at 1,300 feet above sea level. This beautifully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon is made from select lots from within this amazing vineyard. Deep ruby in color, this wine leads with aromas of red currants, warmed cherry cobbler, sandal wood, cardamon, and vanilla oak. The rich palate brings notes of black plum, cassis, cola nut and coco dusted truffle. The wine finishes luxuriously with a supple mouthfeel and round tannin structure.

Dedicated to our backyard vineyard named for the Southern Pacific Railroad fruit packing stop used by the winery long ago, the Thomann Station Petite Sirah is part of our Cellar No. 254 collection. Opaque in the glass, the 2020 vintage boasts aromas of fresh blackberry with underlying characteristics of geranium and graphite. Layers of dark chocolate covered cherry, acai berry with hints of charcuterie coat the assertive yet silky palate.

This small-lot Cabernet Franc showcases the variety’s signature qualities through the lens of the Monte Rosso Vineyard, where just two blocks of Cabernet Franc are planted. The 2017 vintage features flourishes of ripe red cherry, cranberry and raspberry with tilled earth undertones and subtle hints of orange zest. The finely textured finish rings with acidity, making this wine a versatile food-pairing partner – complex and balanced.

Grapes for this wine were handpicked from several of our premium Napa Valley vineyards, including William Hill, Sun Lake, Cypress Ranch, Sage Canyon and other select growers. The 2018 vintage began, like 2017, with plentiful winter rains. A consistently warm and steady summer eased into a mild fall, resulting in a slightly later harvest that delivered beautifully developed fruit with marked complexity. Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were carefully destemmed and transferred to upright tanks for a two day cold soak. To build its round, elegant mouthfeel, the wine saw 15 to 20 days of maceration time and was pumped over two to three times daily. Each lot was aged and meticulously evaluated separately, with the final blend taking place in May 2019. In total, the wine aged for 16 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels (40% new).

Like the gigantic boulders found in the vineyard itself, Stagecoach Cabernet is robust and unhindered. On the nose, aromas of cassis and wild blueberries with hints of baker’s chocolate, bay leaf and camphor waft out of the glass. The 2018 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons' full-bodied palate is characterized by notes of dense black fruit that linger with subtle notes of cinnamon dusted pastry while the vineyard’s enormous quantities of rugged rock mixed with hard volcanic soil imparts subtle hints of forest floor and clean earth, adding to the complexity. Fresh and youthful, muscular tannins support the concentrated fruit profile and round out the very long, textured finish. <br><br> <b>Winemaker Notes</b><br> Grapes for this wine were hand harvested from two blocks of our Stagecoach vineyard in October and hand sorted at our micro-winery, Cellar No. 254. Fermentation took place in small open-top tanks, allowing for precise and gentle extraction of color and flavor. In total, the wine was aged for 19 months in French oak barrels (73% new) and a year in bottle. <br><br> <b>Vinicultural Notes</b><br> From the towering volcanic terrain in the eastern reaches of Napa, Stagecoach is among the most renowned vineyards in the valley. The 2018 vintage began, like 2017, with plentiful winter rains. A consistently warm and steady summer eased into a mild fall, resulting in a slightly later harvest that delivered beautifully developed fruit with outstanding mountainside characteristics.

Our Cypress Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a robust single-vineyard wine hailing from the rock-strewn slopes of the Vaca Mountains in northeastern Napa Valley. Highly structured and complex, this Cabernet displays a unique balance of juicy black and blue fruit tones that distinguish it from any other in our collection.  Robust notes of cherry pie, baker’s chocolate, cinnamon and nutmeg unfurl on a bed of plush, dusty tannins. Adding to the complexity is a small amount of Petit Verdot, contributing additional layers of spice, boysenberry and a hint of lavender for a pleasurable finish. <br><br> Our grapes were hand-harvested on October 3rd and sorted at our micro-winery, Cellar No. 254. Fermentation took place in small open-top tanks, allowing for precise and gentle extraction of color and flavor. Each lot was aged in French oak barrels and evaluated individually, with the final blend occurring mid July. In total, the wine was aged for 19 months in barrel (84% new) and a year in bottle. <br><br> This Cabernet Sauvignon was carefully selected from Cypress Ranch Vineyard, where high elevation, gently sloping hillsides and a tremendous diurnal shift result in rich, structurally elegant yields. In 2017, abundant winter rainfall fueled vine growth early in the season. A mild spring, followed by steady warmth in the summer and fall, led to a slightly early harvest with ripe, fruit-driven intensity.

A blend of Syrah and Grenache from this world-class mountain vineyard, our Monte Rosso Mountain Red is an homage to the great wines of Southern France, with a California twist. Aromas of boysenberry, lilac, blonde roast coffee and prosciutto are unveiled on the nose. Notes of blueberry, pomegranate and damson plum saturate the soft and plush mid palate that is framed by crunchy, gravely tannins. <br><br> The grapes were harvested by hand and delivered in half-ton picking bins. The fruit was hand-sorted, destemmed and partially crushed before being gravity-fed into our open-top tanks for a 3-5-day cold soak before fermentation. Up to 10 days after primary fermentation was complete, the wine was gravity racked into oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. The wine was kept separate in individual lots, then the blend was assembled in summer 2019 and allowed to marry before bottling. In total, the wine was aged for 19 months in a mix of puncheons and French oak barrels (50% new). <br><br> Our Mountain Red is crafted from select blocks on the legendary Monte Rosso Vineyard. Every vintage offers a distinct, vivid expression of this renowned site. The 2018 vintage began, like 2017, with plentiful winter rains. A consistently warm and steady summer eased into a mild fall, resulting in a slightly later harvest that delivered beautifully developed fruit with marked complexity...

On the nose, the 2018 Lot No. 1 vintage showcases enticing aromas of wild blackberries, cocoa and toasted oak supported by notes of brown spice and humidor. The rich, plush palate boasts flavors of shaved chocolate and reduced blackberry compote with hints of cinnamon. The long finish reveals classic oak character and plush tannins. <br><br> <b>Vinicultural Notes</b><br> Lot No. 1 is something of a mosaic of iconic appellations and vineyards – an assemblage of Napa Valley’s best mountain, benchland and valley floor fruit. The 2018 vintage is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon from Stagecoach Vineyard, Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain and other outstanding sites throughout Napa Valley AVA. From a growing perspective, the 2018 vintage began, like 2017, with plentiful winter rains. A consistently warm and steady summer eased into a mild fall, resulting in a slightly later harvest that delivered beautifully developed fruit with outstanding mountainside characteristics. <br><br> <b>Winemaker Notes</b><br> Our concept of small-lot winemaking dates back to 1948 when Louis M. Martini began ranking his most exceptional Cabernet lots to use for a special selection blend. We honor this attention to detail with every vintage we make, fermenting Lot No. 1 in small open-top tanks, which allow for a high level of precision when extracting color and flavor. All lots were alternately punched down and pumped over up to four times daily to build the desired foundation for the wine’s mouthfeel. Our barrel program for Lot No. 1 is also unique, with the primary component being 36-month air dried French oak. This longer drying time encourages rich tannin structure throughout the duration of the wine’s 19 months in barrel (83% new).

The grapes for this wine were selected from some of the most premier Napa Valley vineyards, a mix of valley floor, benchland and hillsides. The 2017 vintage was one of promise and challenge for Napa Valley grape growers, but in the end, fruit was of high quality overall. Plenty of winter rains gave way to healthy vines at the beginning of the growing season. Other than an early September heat spike, the growing season was moderate. Picked just before the October wildfires, fruit yields were average in size with smaller berries possessing big and complex flavors.

A true mountain-grown Cabernet, this wine is unmistakably rustic. The 2019 vintage opens with aromas of red currant and cherry complemented by undertones of forest floor, thyme and fresh cedar. The full-bodied palate boasts notes of chocolate covered cherries and blueberries that rest on ripe, dusty tannins. This wine will slowly smooth over time, rewarding those who are patient enough to cellar for ten to twenty years.

Our 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a boisterous wine with an assertive profile, offering ripe notes of black currant, plum, crushed fennel and cedar. Rich and rustic, this Cabernet features distinct brambly undertones and finishes memorably with structured, lingering tannins.

For a limited time only, this special collection is your chance to get a taste of our exclusive club benefits, with 10% savings and $15 flat rate ground shipping. In your shipment, you will receive a members-exclusive newsletter with detailed wine notes, a note and recipe from Executive Chef Meneghelli, as well as an inside look at what’s going on at the winery.

Our 2019 Monte Rosso Vineyard Mountain Red is a tribute to the great varieties of Southern France. Syrah and Grenache come together with a touch of Zinfandel from our legendary Monte Rosso Vineyard. Aromas of blackberry, violet and blonde roast coffee emerge from the glass while strawberry purée and white pepper fill the midpalate. The tannins impart structure to the blend, pulling a luscious density through to the finish.

Dark and brooding, our Louis M. Martini Cellar No. 254 Meritage is a full bodied, pleasure driven wine bursting with rich fruit notes. Aromas and flavors of wild blackberries and blueberries are complimented by hints of baker’s chocolate and plum preserves woven with nuanced hints of toasty oak providing a nice lift on the palate.

We selected these grapes from our historic Thomann Station Vineyard, nestled just behind our winery in St. Helena. This location is ideal for growing Petite Sirah, thriving in the deep, gravelly loam soils of the Napa Valley floor. The 2017 vintage began with ample winter rains, fueling vine growth early in the season. Steady warmth in the summer and fall followed, leading to a slightly early harvest with ripe, fruit-driven intensity. Because this fruit is literally in our backyard, it was delivered by tractor and immediately hand-sorted and destemmed. A three-day cold soak allowed for gentle extraction of flavor and color. We then used a careful combination of punch-downs and rack-and-returns during fermentation, which helped to tame the varietal’s burly tannins and build a balanced, beautifully finessed Petite Sirah. Total aging was 15 months in a combination of French and American oak, the latter imparting a sweet bacon spice note to this remarkably rich wine (60% new oak, 37% French, 23% American).

Our 2020 Gnarly Vine Zinfandel is a tightly wound wine that unfurls beautifully in the glass. Vibrant aromas of crushed raspberries, orange zest and star anise spiral toward the nose. Layer by layer, notes of pomegranate, red plum and Morello cherry unwind on the palate with hints of white pepper and shaved nutmeg. Classic Monte Rosso earth and baking spice shine through in this vintage. The energy of this wine stays consistent through the long finish.

Lot No. 1 is something of a mosaic of iconic appellations and vineyards – an assemblage of Napa Valley’s best mountain, benchland and valley floor fruit. The 2017 vintage is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon from Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, Stags Leap, Mount Veeder and other stellar sites throughout Napa Valley AVA. From a growing perspective in 2017, ample winter rains fueled vine growth early in the season followed by steady warmth in the summer and fall, leading to a slightly early harvest with ripe, fruit-driven intensity. <br><br> Our concept of small-lot winemaking dates back to 1948, when Louis M. Martini began ranking his most exceptional Cabernet lots to use for a special selection blend. We honor this attention to detail with every vintage we make, fermenting Lot No. 1 in small open-top tanks, which allow for a high level of precision when extracting color and flavor. All lots were alternately punched down and pumped over up to four times daily to build the desired foundation for the wine’s mouthfeel. Our barrel program for Lot No. 1 is also unique, with the primary component being 36-month air dried French oak. This longer drying time encourages rich tannin structure throughout the duration of the wine’s 19 months in barrel (100% French oak, 80% new).