2006 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
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Tasting notes
(15% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Deeper and more medicinal on the nose than the Monte Rosso version, offering scents of cassis, blackberry and minerals. Then denser and sweeter in the mouth, with lovely floral lift and a strong spine of acids and tannins framing and intensifying the fruit. Enjoy the Monte Rosso example while waiting for this tighter and more firmly tannic wine to evolve in bottle and to absorb its oak element.
Critic scores
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Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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A strong line-up of Napa offerings from Louis M. Martini includes a superb bargain, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, a 7,000-case blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest Syrah and Petit Verdot. Its deep ruby/plum color is accompanied by sweet blue and red fruits intertwined with hints of loamy soil, licorice, and subtle background oak. With good flavor as well as silky tannins, this well-balanced, concentrated 2006 should be even better over the next 10-15 years. It is a big-time sleeper of the vintage. Tel. (800) 321-WINE