l’usine Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2017
WINEMARKER’S NOTES
To the eye, a lucid crimson sits in the glass. Aromatics of ripe cranberries, forest floor, morels and a touch of bramble engage. The wine slips onto the palate with a silky, enveloping balanced and riveting, the wine closes with concentration and finesse – an exemplar of drinkability.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 15.4%
Maturation: Aged 9 months in French Oak, 78% New
l’usine Annapolis Vineyard Sonoma County 2017
WINEMARKER’S NOTES
Nuance and Intrigue characterize the wine, starting with a dark crimson and a ruby rim but manifested by the aromatics: white pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, pine resin and crème de menthe. An entry dominated by a bright acidity, the mid-palate explores characteristics of rhubarb, savory and a hint of wild strawberry with a long finish indicative of graceful aging.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol : 15.9%
Maturation: Aged 9 months in French Oak, 42% New
l’usine Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2017
WINEMARKER’S NOTES
The blend exhibits darker aromatics of blueberry, raspberry, black pepper, vanilla crème and a slight funk. The entry is refined yet immense with flavors of redcurrant, cherry tart and traces of spice that follow through to the mid-palate. The backbone of acidity and a lengthy finish sets up the wine to age for many years.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 14.1%
Maturation: Aged 10 months in French Oak, 60% New
Louis M. Martini Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Our 2017 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.
Grapes were picked early in the morning to preserve maximum flavor en route to the winery. All lots were aged and evaluated separately, allowing us to craft a harmonious wine before marrying the final blend in barrel to finish aging. In total, the wine spent 17 months in a combination of French and American oak (29% new).
Varietal: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petite Sirah
"A firm, juicy red with blackberries, chocolate and light tobacco. Some vanilla. Medium to full body. Round tannins. Fruity and fresh. Drink now." - James Suckling, 92 points
Louis M. Martini Lot 1 2017
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.
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
"A soft, juicy red with licorice and aniseed undertones to the blueberries and sage. Candy. Medium to full body with agility and elegance. Drinkable now, but better in 2022." - 95 points, James Suckling
"A rich, lush style, with creamed plum, blueberry and warmed blackberry compote flavors gliding along, laced with cocoa and warm earth notes. A black licorice note drapes over the fruit on the finish, and there's a violet note hanging in the background. Large-scaled and well-defined. Best from 2022 through 2035. 1,272 cases made." - 94 points, Wine Spectator