Palate
This wine features concentrated flavors including wild berries, plum, licorice and mocha. The full-bodied and mouth-coating texture on the palate leads to a long and graceful
finish.
Growing Conditions
The grapes for this wine were primarily selected from two of our
renowned, crown jewel vineyards in Sonoma County: Frei Ranch
vineyards in Dry Creek Valley AVA and Barrelli Creek Vineyard in the
Alexander Valley AVA. The 2015 vintage was yet another in a string of
warm, dry and early growing seasons. Mild weather throughout the
spring and summer came with neither excessive heat spikes nor cool
stretches, allowing slow, even ripening that built excellent ripeness and
complexity. Our passionate pursuit of quality and consistency in our
vineyards rewarded us with small berries with intense aromatics,
concentrated ripe fruit flavors and outstanding structure and balance.
The Louis M. Martini 2015 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon wine
reflects the best of the warm, narrow Dry Creek Valley and the hot yet
wind-cooled Alexander Valley. Together, these unique features create a
rich, superbly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon with copious yet supple
tannins. Those tannins make the young wine approachable but will still
give it enough texture to age gracefully.
Winemaking
Traditional de-stemming and fermentation temperatures between 88°F
and 92°F encouraged the development of rich fruit characteristics and a
plush, full mouthfeel. The careful selection of French and American oak
added sweetness and complexity with layers of vanilla, mocha and
espresso. Touches of Merlot, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Franc enhance the wine’s roundness and depth. Blending occurred two months before bottling to allow the blend to harmonize.
Aging
Average time on oak was 16 months.
