2013 Louis M. Martini "Monte Rosso Vineyard" Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
SKU #1304833
95 points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
An absolutely outrageous wine and probably one of the great all-time Cabernet Sauvignons from Sonoma is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Valley. This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the relatively recent Moon Mountain AVA, that aged for 27 months in 67% new French and 14 % new American oak. This is a wine of thrilling levels of intensity, with an incredible fragrance of spring flowers, blue fruits, black fruits, especially crème de cassis and blackberry, loamy soil undertones, and a touch of licorice and smoke. The wine is full-bodied, with magnificent fruit intensity and purity, loads of glycerin (15.5% alcohol) and a finish of a good 40+ seconds. This is a great bottle of wine that can still be purchased for less than $100.00, which is increasingly rare in Northern California. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040. 95+ points. It is hard to believe that the iconic Louis M. Martini Winery first made Napa Cabernet Sauvignon in 1933. Louis Martini is long gone, but he played a significant role in establishing Napa and Sonoma valleys as premium grape-growing regions. His family has carried on and more recently benefitted from the influx of significant investment from the new owners - the Gallos. (RP)
(10/2016)
94 points
Wine Spectator
An immense wine, deep and rich in extraction, offering bold flavors of dark currant, blackberry, black licorice, mocha, cedar, loamy earth and exotic spices, all carried with ease and grace by the texture. The tannins, though potent, are ripe and woven into the fabric. (JL)
(5/2017)
92 points
Vinous
The 2013 Monte Rosso Vineyard Mountain Red exudes depth, power and richness. Even so, the mountain tannins from this famed mountain site are relatively tame, which gives the wine plenty of near and medium term appeal. Plum, espresso, spice, licorice and rose petal all build into the soft, open-knit finish. The 2013 is accessible today, but it also has plenty of substance lurking beneath. (AG)
(8/2017)
K&L Notes
Winemaker's Notes: "The Cabernet grapes for this wine were carefully hand harvested and hand sorted, then cold soaked for up to three days before being gravity fed into 3.5 ton and 7-ton open top fermenters. After primary fermentation, 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, then aged in separate lots for up to 26 months in French and American oak barrels (72% new French, 16% new American, 12% neutral barrels). The final blend was assembled, then sent back to barrel to allow the flavors to integrate before bottling."