Big, bold and bright. A real brawler. Purchased during the pandemic and it was fun to let it loose now — with the friends we shared the Napa trip with.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3 hr decant from magnum. Started off a little tightly wound, so still lots of stuffing to last in this one. As it opened up, gorgeous flavors of red currant and red cherry along with plumb, leather, and fine grained tannins. Long finish - epic with spice rubbed NY Strips.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark cork with a fair bit of sediment adhering to the bottle. 3 hour decant. Beautiful aromatics and smooth juiciness with long finish & residual considerable soft tannic grip with no heat considering the abv. Meadow flowers, ripe blue, red & black fruit with gilled meat & herbal lift. Still a long life for sure, so no hurry here, but for primary big fruit lovers, it is beginning to become more elegant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still very primary and young, but already approachable after a considerable decant. Dark fruit, luxurious and bountiful oak, ultraripe tannines and relatively low in acidity. Not jammy at all, very well balanced, gorgeous wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was an outstanding bottle I picked up for a Thanksgiving get together. It was in a perfect place. So youthful. Can go for 15 more years if not more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A great bottle from the valley to the left, and great QPR all things considered. Continue to be impressed, notes remain consist with previous experience. Showing a richness and commanding palate presence that unfolds and evolves. Black fruits and red fruit jam. Fruit forward but not a fruit bomb.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby color. Tight aroma of black fruits. Dry, soft acidity, supple tannins, fruit forward jammy taste of blackcurrant, black berry, plum, vanilla, oak. Fruit forward long jammy finish. 92. Guess Napa 2012 (2/7). Result: Louis Martin, Sonoma 2013.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Louis Martini wine tasting. Some improvement from a couple years ago but still not ready for prime time in my opinion. Purple fruit - dark currants/cassis, dark raspberry, blackberry, and dark cherry. Solid depth/concentration (medium plus body) but still a little tannic. Nice rich/vibrant flavors of dark berries, spice box, and a little mineral component. Fairly long finish but again a little tannic. Apparently the magnums were open for a couple hours before serving. Enjoyable at this stage, however, I believe this vintage needs another year or two for the fruit to soften/open-up some more - although I'm sure a decent decant would have helped as well. I expect some improvement with some more time but the 95+ rating from Parker seems a little lofty - although hopefully some more time proves me wrong. WA anticipated maturity 2018 to 2040. 100% cab.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A Sonoma County beauty. Would buy again for the bouquet alone. Lithe and vibrant with Chambord, blackberry compote and some peppercorn spice. Palate is rich and inky with some chalky tannins and substantial red fruits.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark and inky in colour. Creme de cassis, plums, forest fruit spices, nougat, tobacco on the nose. Very concentrated and powerful on the palate, well balanced though, not over the top. Seductive fruit, polished tannins, sufficient acidity, spices, notes of chocolate. Good length. Drink or keep. 91-93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opaque crimson in the glass. Black cherry, blackberry, cassis, mocha, and spearmint on the nose. Big, but precise on the palate with the fruit, spearmint, cassis and some spice notes clearly delineated. Finish had some nice grippy tannins to bring it home.
Drank with cabernet marinated pot roast and roasted red skins. Just what was needed on a frigid January evening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rich nose of wild black raspberries and black slate minerals. Quite ripe and full on the attack with delicious flavors of black raspberries along with a dose of wintergreen. On the California Cab overripe Gago-meter, this causes a few dry heaves but the finish helps save the day with a nice grippy mineral crunch along with that fresh wintergreen spice and superb slate minerality. Drink now as the overripeness will likely take this to a sad place over time but the high quality of the vineyard is apparent and if they would just pick a week or two earlier, I have no doubt this would be a special wine.
A big wine-- rich fruit (wild blackberries, currants, cherry), vanilla, balanced by chewy tannin, slate, black tea and some refreshing acid. Squarely in the profile of other Cali mountain cabs.
Decanted for an hour and consumed over 5. Softened a bit over the night, but was pleasant from start to finish. The high alcohol isn't off putting at this stage, especially when paired with hearty food (this was served with american waygu strip steak, tenderloin, and sauteed spinach--a high iron evening).
I continue to suspect that this wine will deliver the most pleasure in the short run (next 5 years?) while the big fruit and tannin can stand up to the alcohol.
Drank side by side with 2014 Ridge Estate (entry level) cab (much lower alch at ~13.4) and mellower with more flavors in the tobacco/earth arena, slightly herbal green note. Guests preferred hedonistic pleasure of the Monte Rosso. Both were solid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stern and lavish, this was decanted for four hours. Currant paste, dark cherry, warm stone, blackberry and some toasted oak. A mere baby, this will age well and has tannins that are grainy. There’s a medium-long finish. Drink 2020 - 2030.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another decent showing red and black mountain fruit black tea (similar to Hidden Ridge). The fruit faded under the tannin/structure after 3 hours of breathing. Slightly rougher tannins than the last bottle.
Better on day 2, fruit resurfaced, tannins were softer and generally all the elements were more integrated. Suggests that maybe a longish decant is warranted at this stage. 91-92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was concerned by the ~15.5 abv. However, the heat faded after the bottle breathed for about 20 min. I think this is ready now, tannins are soft, the fruit is in balance with acid. I am sure it can age for a while longer, my guess is that it is better in 2018 than 2023.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is delicious despite the incredibly high level of alcohol and chocolaty sweetness. It's saved by a wonderfully fresh, crunchy finish with lovely hints of dark cherry and mint. I can't imagine how good this wine would've been if picked a week or two earlier and I would drink this soon because like so many other Cali Cabs, this will not age well given the level of ripeness and alcohol.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Plum Market luxury wine tasting. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Decent depth for the price point, however, I expected a little bigger/fuller fruit in light of the 95 rating from Parker and 94 from WS. Fairly long finish but a little tannic and acidic - again, this vintage needs to lay down longer. Apparently the bottles were opened a couple hours before the tasting. Once again, WA anticipated maturity 2018 to 2040, however, I would be inclined to follow the anticipated maturity from WS which is 2019 to 2032 - in my opinion this vintage needs a couple years. 100% cab.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tannic but not a monster, flavor profile keeps pace. Think silk and chocolate with glass coating thickness. Substantial bouquet and palate. Very well done
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Regretably I drank both bottles to early. This wine will be a better and more polished wine in 2020. Dark berries, dark chocolate, mint and white pepper. Thumbs up for L.M.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep, opaque purple. A ripe and deeply concentrated nose offers notes of sweet blackberry, cassis, toast, hot earth and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Full bodied on the palate, rich and round, but not quite rotund, with lots of sweet fruit and oak flavors that seem to coat the mouth. Tannins are quite ripe but finish with a slight grip. A modern style style but well done.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served at a local wine store. Somewhat similar notes as the last tasting a couple months ago. Nice flavors of dark red fruit with a touch of black, smooth mid-palate (the tannins are integrated quite well), solid depth, and a fairly long finish. However, the fruit is fairly acidic and needs time. I'm thinking at least one year but possibly two. According to the store, the bottle was opened a couple hours in advance. I'll refrain from rating it since it's just not ready but low 90s if rating. Once again, WA anticipated maturity 2018 to 2040 which appears to make sense.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/14/2024 - Rockterroir wrote: 95 Points
Bopadopolis said it well. I’d say perfectly in its prime now. 30 min decant was all I felt it needed. Very memorable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2023 - Zweder Likes this wine: 94 Points
USA 2013 tasting by Sander (By SS @ De Ertepeller in Papendrecht): The bouquet is still a bit locked. On the palate dark berries, chocolate, lovely fresh acidity, slightly sticky tannin. Full bodied and yet elegant wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2022 - brasstab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big, bold and bright. A real brawler. Purchased during the pandemic and it was fun to let it loose now — with the friends we shared the Napa trip with.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2022 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Splash decant then spectacular. Dark beautiful fruit with long evolving finish. Excellent now, but not hurry here.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2022 - wine-enthusiast Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark and full fruit . This was from a magnum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2022 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
Delicious wine. Dark cherries, tobacco and earth. Nicely balanced with tannins gently intact. Great with a burger!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2021 - djjagdish Likes this wine: 94 Points
3 hr decant from magnum. Started off a little tightly wound, so still lots of stuffing to last in this one. As it opened up, gorgeous flavors of red currant and red cherry along with plumb, leather, and fine grained tannins. Long finish - epic with spice rubbed NY Strips.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2021 - PourMeSomeMore Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very dark cork with a fair bit of sediment adhering to the bottle. 3 hour decant. Beautiful aromatics and smooth juiciness with long finish & residual considerable soft tannic grip with no heat considering the abv. Meadow flowers, ripe blue, red & black fruit with gilled meat & herbal lift. Still a long life for sure, so no hurry here, but for primary big fruit lovers, it is beginning to become more elegant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2020 - jkoenen wrote: 95 Points
Still very primary and young, but already approachable after a considerable decant. Dark fruit, luxurious and bountiful oak, ultraripe tannines and relatively low in acidity. Not jammy at all, very well balanced, gorgeous wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2020 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was an outstanding bottle I picked up for a Thanksgiving get together. It was in a perfect place. So youthful. Can go for 15 more years if not more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2020 - spoplack Likes this wine: 93 Points
classic Napa cab - great fruit and tanin balance, smoky
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2020 - jkoenen wrote: flawed
I don't think I ever had a bottle with this much TCA...
Cork liquour.... disgusting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2020 - Ecbatana Likes this wine: 94 Points
A great bottle from the valley to the left, and great QPR all things considered. Continue to be impressed, notes remain consist with previous experience. Showing a richness and commanding palate presence that unfolds and evolves. Black fruits and red fruit jam. Fruit forward but not a fruit bomb.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2020 - Costes76 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark ruby color. Tight aroma of black fruits. Dry, soft acidity, supple tannins, fruit forward jammy taste of blackcurrant, black berry, plum, vanilla, oak. Fruit forward long jammy finish. 92. Guess Napa 2012 (2/7). Result: Louis Martin, Sonoma 2013.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2020 - Randito Likes this wine: 95 Points
Layered cab, velvety smooth cinnamon vanilla spice oaked finish. Enjoyed with a Prime New York Strip from Costco.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2020 - Iowamikepoker Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent Cab
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2020 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 88 Points
Kleur: Diep ondoordringbaar donkerrood. Aroma / bouquet: Verleidelijk aroma met dominante tonen van rode kers, Mon Cherie, pruimen en tabak. Smaak / Afdronk: Krachtig, mondvullend en rijp. Opvallend zachte zuurgraad, boordevol mooi gerijpte tannines in combinatie met een gepronunceerd alcoholgehalte. Stoer en krachtig glas. Algemeen / potentieel: Stoere Sonoma Cab., eetwijn met power. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 14 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 88/100
Google Translate:
Color: Deeply impenetrable dark red. Aroma / bouquet: Seductive aroma with dominant notes of red cherry, Mon Cherie, plums and tobacco. Taste / Aftertaste: Powerful, mouth-filling and ripe. Strikingly mild acidity, packed with beautifully aged tannins in combination with a pronounced alcohol content. Tough and powerful glass. General / potential: Tough Sonoma Cab., Wine with power. 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Taste / Finish: 14 + General / potential: 8 = 88/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2019 - Snickerbabyy wrote:
Da bomb. If you don’t drink this, you’re a square....just sayin’
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2019 - Badmonkey wrote: 92 Points
Louis Martini wine tasting. Some improvement from a couple years ago but still not ready for prime time in my opinion. Purple fruit - dark currants/cassis, dark raspberry, blackberry, and dark cherry. Solid depth/concentration (medium plus body) but still a little tannic. Nice rich/vibrant flavors of dark berries, spice box, and a little mineral component. Fairly long finish but again a little tannic. Apparently the magnums were open for a couple hours before serving. Enjoyable at this stage, however, I believe this vintage needs another year or two for the fruit to soften/open-up some more - although I'm sure a decent decant would have helped as well. I expect some improvement with some more time but the 95+ rating from Parker seems a little lofty - although hopefully some more time proves me wrong. WA anticipated maturity 2018 to 2040. 100% cab.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2019 - Dmiller3 wrote: 89 Points
Subtle, yet bold. Drinking really well - I should have held back a bottle (or two)!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2019 - Ecbatana Likes this wine: 95 Points
A Sonoma County beauty. Would buy again for the bouquet alone. Lithe and vibrant with Chambord, blackberry compote and some peppercorn spice. Palate is rich and inky with some chalky tannins and substantial red fruits.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2019 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Very dark and inky in colour. Creme de cassis, plums, forest fruit spices, nougat, tobacco on the nose. Very concentrated and powerful on the palate, well balanced though, not over the top. Seductive fruit, polished tannins, sufficient acidity, spices, notes of chocolate. Good length. Drink or keep. 91-93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2019 - slulkin wrote: 92 Points
Opaque crimson in the glass. Black cherry, blackberry, cassis, mocha, and spearmint on the nose. Big, but precise on the palate with the fruit, spearmint, cassis and some spice notes clearly delineated. Finish had some nice grippy tannins to bring it home.
Drank with cabernet marinated pot roast and roasted red skins. Just what was needed on a frigid January evening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2018 - dream wrote: 91 Points
Rich nose of wild black raspberries and black slate minerals. Quite ripe and full on the attack with delicious flavors of black raspberries along with a dose of wintergreen. On the California Cab overripe Gago-meter, this causes a few dry heaves but the finish helps save the day with a nice grippy mineral crunch along with that fresh wintergreen spice and superb slate minerality. Drink now as the overripeness will likely take this to a sad place over time but the high quality of the vineyard is apparent and if they would just pick a week or two earlier, I have no doubt this would be a special wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
7/23/2018 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 92 Points
A big wine-- rich fruit (wild blackberries, currants, cherry), vanilla, balanced by chewy tannin, slate, black tea and some refreshing acid. Squarely in the profile of other Cali mountain cabs.
Decanted for an hour and consumed over 5. Softened a bit over the night, but was pleasant from start to finish. The high alcohol isn't off putting at this stage, especially when paired with hearty food (this was served with american waygu strip steak, tenderloin, and sauteed spinach--a high iron evening).
I continue to suspect that this wine will deliver the most pleasure in the short run (next 5 years?) while the big fruit and tannin can stand up to the alcohol.
Drank side by side with 2014 Ridge Estate (entry level) cab (much lower alch at ~13.4) and mellower with more flavors in the tobacco/earth arena, slightly herbal green note. Guests preferred hedonistic pleasure of the Monte Rosso. Both were solid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2018 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stern and lavish, this was decanted for four hours. Currant paste, dark cherry, warm stone, blackberry and some toasted oak. A mere baby, this will age well and has tannins that are grainy. There’s a medium-long finish. Drink 2020 - 2030.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2018 - Vinomnivore wrote: 90 Points
Another decent showing red and black mountain fruit black tea (similar to Hidden Ridge). The fruit faded under the tannin/structure after 3 hours of breathing. Slightly rougher tannins than the last bottle.
Better on day 2, fruit resurfaced, tannins were softer and generally all the elements were more integrated. Suggests that maybe a longish decant is warranted at this stage. 91-92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2018 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was concerned by the ~15.5 abv. However, the heat faded after the bottle breathed for about 20 min. I think this is ready now, tannins are soft, the fruit is in balance with acid. I am sure it can age for a while longer, my guess is that it is better in 2018 than 2023.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is delicious despite the incredibly high level of alcohol and chocolaty sweetness. It's saved by a wonderfully fresh, crunchy finish with lovely hints of dark cherry and mint. I can't imagine how good this wine would've been if picked a week or two earlier and I would drink this soon because like so many other Cali Cabs, this will not age well given the level of ripeness and alcohol.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2017 - Bordeaux Man wrote: 96 Points
We had this one with some Filets off the grill, smoked lightly with cherry wood chips. Excellent finish!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 90 Points
Plum Market luxury wine tasting. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Decent depth for the price point, however, I expected a little bigger/fuller fruit in light of the 95 rating from Parker and 94 from WS. Fairly long finish but a little tannic and acidic - again, this vintage needs to lay down longer. Apparently the bottles were opened a couple hours before the tasting. Once again, WA anticipated maturity 2018 to 2040, however, I would be inclined to follow the anticipated maturity from WS which is 2019 to 2032 - in my opinion this vintage needs a couple years. 100% cab.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2017 - Ecbatana Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tannic but not a monster, flavor profile keeps pace. Think silk and chocolate with glass coating thickness. Substantial bouquet and palate. Very well done
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2017 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Regretably I drank both bottles to early. This wine will be a better and more polished wine in 2020. Dark berries, dark chocolate, mint and white pepper. Thumbs up for L.M.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2017 - Ricklikeswine wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic wine with a nice steak... rich and phenomenal finish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2017 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
Deep, opaque purple. A ripe and deeply concentrated nose offers notes of sweet blackberry, cassis, toast, hot earth and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Full bodied on the palate, rich and round, but not quite rotund, with lots of sweet fruit and oak flavors that seem to coat the mouth. Tannins are quite ripe but finish with a slight grip. A modern style style but well done.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2017 - Badmonkey wrote:
Served at a local wine store. Somewhat similar notes as the last tasting a couple months ago. Nice flavors of dark red fruit with a touch of black, smooth mid-palate (the tannins are integrated quite well), solid depth, and a fairly long finish. However, the fruit is fairly acidic and needs time. I'm thinking at least one year but possibly two. According to the store, the bottle was opened a couple hours in advance. I'll refrain from rating it since it's just not ready but low 90s if rating. Once again, WA anticipated maturity 2018 to 2040 which appears to make sense.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment