Louis M. Martini | Cellar 254

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2020 Cellar No. 254 Merlot

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.

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2020 Cellar No. 254 Petite Sirah

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.

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2021 Cellar No. 254 Petite Sirah

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. The 2021 vintage opens with aromas of grilled meat, blueberry cobbler and cocoa powder. The unctuous palate boasts notes of fresh pressed coffee, marionberry syrup and oolong tea which extend through the massive finish.

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90

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2017 Cellar No. 254 Meritage

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.

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92

pts

2017 Cellar No. 254 Petite Sirah

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).

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2018 Cellar No. 254 Cabernet Sauvignon

The grapes for this wine were selected from some of the most premier Napa Valley vineyards, a mix of valley floor, benchland and hillsides. All grapes were hand harvested, delivered in half-ton picking bins, then hand-sorted, destemmed and partially crushed before being gravity-fed into small open-top fermenters. The cap was alternately punched down and pumped over up to four times daily through fermentation. Once fermentation completed, the free run juice was drained and the must gently pressed in a basket press. The wine was gravity racked into French oak barrels (87% new) for malolactic fermentation and remained in individual barrel lots until the final blend was assembled and aged.

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2020 Cellar No. 254 Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Our 2020 vintage Cellar 254 Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant wine that features grapes from Mount Veeder, Calistoga and Monte Rosso. Aromas of cinnamon dusted graham cracker, macerated dark plum and star anise greet the senses. Notes of fresh blackberry, black licorice and Shiitake mushroom are revealed on the ripe palate and are balanced by soft, textured tannins.

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2019 Cellar No. 254 Cabernet Sauvignon

The second installment of our Cellar No. 254 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon features lots selected from some of our most premier mountain vineyards balanced by a small percentage of Syrah from our celebrated Monte Rosso Vineyard. Aromas of blackberry and pomegranate intertwine with wet clay and fresh mint. Notes of lilac extend to the lively and restrained palate where tension, savory tones of minerality, and star anise all help showcase refined tannins.

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2021 Cellar No. 254 Merlot

Our Napa Valley Merlot pays homage to Louis P. Martini, who bottled the first varietally labeled Merlot in the United States nearly a half-century ago. The 2021 vintage is marked by aromas of cherry cola, roasted hazelnuts, dried oregano and singed applewood. Notes of cherry pie, cardamom spice, baker’s chocolate and fennel are revealed on the firm midpalate as savory notes linger throughout the seamless finish.

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2016 Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L

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. The 2016 growing season on Monte Rosso’s mountaintop was another in a string of warm, dry and steady seasons with no weather events impacting quality or yield. Consistently moderate temperatures throughout the spring and summer allowed grapes to ripen fully and evenly, leading to near-ideal harvest conditions. This allowed us to pick every block at optimum ripeness, resulting in concentrated fruit of particularly high quality, rich flavors and layers of complexity.

2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé

Our 2022 Rosé is a delicately layered, yet plush, Bordeaux-style Rosé. Light rose gold shows in the glass while essences of Mandarin orange grove lift from the glass. A touch of passion fruit and kerns of guava create a tropical nose while notes of freshly cut watermelon, vine raspberry and plump strawberries play on the palate. A hint of cream accentuates the berries for a lovely finish.

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