 MAGNUMS
2017 Lot No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L
sale price $530.00
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.
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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).
2017 Cypress Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L
sale price $230.00
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.
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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.
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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.
2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L
sale price $120.00
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).
2018 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L
sale price $420.00
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.
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<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.
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<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.
2017 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L
sale price $330.00
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.
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<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.
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<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.
2015 Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L
sale price $280.00
Our Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon was handcrafted from specifically chosen blocks on our historic Monte Rosso Vineyard, some of which are the oldest Cabernet blocks in California. The wine unveils aromas of toasted coconut and cedar and decadent notes black cherry and macerated berries and long, silky tannins. The unmistakable Monte Rosso spice makes its presence known in the form of cloves, cinnamon, and sage.
The 2015 growing season on Monte Rosso’s mountaintop was another in a string of warm, dry and early seasons with quality rivaling the best we’ve seen in previous years. Mild weather without heat spikes or cool stretches lasted through the spring and summer, allowing slow, even ripening that built excellent ripeness and complexity. A mild, dry harvest gave us small berries with intense aromatics, concentrated ripe fruit flavors and outstanding structure and balance.
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 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, then to bottle to allow the flavors to integrate. The wine aged in barrel for 28 months, 75% new French oak, 19% new American oak.