Meet Your Red Wine Soulmate: Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
When going to bed at night and counting your blessings, what are you thankful for? Among friends, family and good health, many Cabernet Sauvignon lovers will also be grateful for the Californian summer of 2014. On the sun-kissed slopes of the Napa Valley vineyards, something magical was happening, and we are now able to enjoy the true fruits of this season.
Let us set the scene: it’s 2014 in California’s very own Napa Valley, America’s most famous wine region, and a warm, dry spring has rolled into a glorious summer. The consistently pleasant but not overpowering temperatures have allowed the sun-drenched Cabernet Sauvignon vines to offer their finest fruits sooner than usual, with an early bud break. These precious grapes then enjoyed extra hang time in the warm sunshine and were able to ripen both fully and evenly, allowing a concentrated flavor with exceptional quality and depth, as well as a well-structured fruit with vibrant color and high tannins levels.
With all of these perfect conditions coming together, no one was better placed to make the most of the succulent harvest than Louis Martini, and the family of winemakers, who have been crafting world-class Cabernet Sauvignon for over 75 years. With their hard work, love and dedication, the Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 was born.
What You Can Expect From Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon
Whether you’re a Cabernet Sauvignon enthusiast, an all-around red wine lover or are simply looking to discover a delicious new bottle of wine; then you’re bound to enjoy the Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014.
This dark burgundy wine is rich and full-bodied with an expansive mid-palate and a long finish to savor and explore the depth of flavors. First of all, you will enjoy aromas of sandalwood and black cherry and, when tasting the wine, the bouquet further expands to blackberry, blueberry and black currant fruit tones, which are framed by sweet herbs, licorice, and toasted cedar. Thanks to the sun-ripened thick skins, this wine’s well-built tannins will allow it to age well and be enjoyed for over a decade. If you’re planning to run for ‘Dinner Party of the Year 2024’ – this is a great investment.
How the Wine Was Produced
The Martini family sure know a thing or two about producing the best Cabernet Sauvignon, and their decades of experience can be tasted in every drop of this bottle. They first selected grapes from their premium Napa Valley vineyards, including Sun Lake, Ghost Pines, Sage Canyon and Cypress, as well as taking a small amount from their renowned Monte Rosso vineyard. These vineyards are perfectly located within the Valley to be slightly cooler at the start of the season and somewhat warmer towards the end.
The carefully harvested grapes were de-stemmed before being transferred into specialist upright tanks, where they were left to soak in cold water for two to three days. During maceration, the wine must be pumped up to three times a day, and the wine was tasted by experts on a daily basis, in order to determine the optimal drainage time. This careful process led to some extended maceration time for the harvest. The wine then spent approximately two and half weeks fermenting to slowly build up its flavor and complexity, layer upon layer.
Once the wine was ready for aging, it was transferred to barrels made from 30% new and 70% used French and American oak, with a medium-to-heavy toast where it was to rest for 18 months. This lengthy process gradually brought to life the intricate layers of flavor that had been created during fermentation. The end result is a full-bodied and sophisticated, yet perfectly balanced red wine with 15.4% natural alcohol.
About Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine lovers around the world widely appreciate this brilliant red wine that it has become the world’s most planted Vitis Vinifera varietal (or wine grape to you and me). Cabernet Sauvignon typically has a full-bodied taste, rich tannins and a strong, concentrated flavor that comes from small berries with thick skins. Despite being known as the “king” of red wine grapes, this variety is in fact derived from two separate grapes, with its origins tracing back to Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. However, these days Cabernet Sauvignon holds its own as one of the most widely loved wines in the world.
This grape variety is usually planted in areas that enjoy warm climates, which is why Napa Valley has a perfect position. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon growing region is made up of a varied landscape, stretching across 20 miles north to south, from the foot of Mount St. Helena down to San Francisco Bay.
With the dedication of winegrowers such as Louis Martini, Cabernet Sauvignon has developed to be almost unrecognizable from its previous role as a blending wine, often found in table jugs. This noble grape is now carefully grown and developed to produce exquisite bottles such as the Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014.
How to Enjoy Your Bottle
Although you can age this wine for over ten years, we’re sure that as soon as you get your hands on your first bottle, you’ll be itching to taste it straight away. For the best experience, we recommend enjoying this wine as an accompaniment to an excellent quality steak, a delicious tomato based pizza, or a juicy burger topped with melted cheese.
