Decanted half an hour and served with Flannery dry aged strips. Purplish color with aromas of blackberry, plum, blue fruit, sappy herbs and loam. Medium-bodied with soft tannins and flavors of currants, mocha and fresh herbs. Medium+ finish. Excellent for the price.
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High/Low Blind Tasting III (Amy and Scott's house): Decanted about 30 minutes. Sadly this was another poor showing for this wine, maybe even worse than 1.5 years ago. Weak and sweet, it reminds me of a party wine.
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High/Low Blind Tasting III (Eagan, MN): High Low Tasting: The Cabernet Flight was the only disappointment as both of these wines were not good. I leaned a little bit towards the more expensive Martini. Medicinal taste with oak chips, blue fruits and spice. Short finish with some green qualities. This wine has not been good for many vintages.
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Significantly better than the first bottle I had a few months ago. Pleasantly dry with moderate notes of brambleberry, decent black currant, a touch of cinnamon & vanilla, and wet earth. Nicely balanced, not overwrought, and holds steady 4 hours after uncorking. The first bottle tasted a bit confused, but not heat stressed. Perhaps this vintage hadn't hit its stride yet, or perhaps there are some bottling/blending inconsistencies.
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Value $17 (on sale) California 2018 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County. Mid-garnet, brick edges, viscous (13.5 alc.); berry, mint, cassis, red fruit nose; mid acids/tannins; balanced; nice semi-long red fruit, light wood finish. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales.
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Off-dry and medium bodied, this has black fruits but the alcohol is more forward on the nose than the fruit. Blackberry jam on the start followed by a lightly leather finish that shifts back to jammy and lingers to a moderate extent. This vintage was designed from the beginning to be quaffable by everyone and has definitely been fined and refined into "approachability". Smooth, if slightly off balance with no complexity; I will say this: it's a good party wine and it does go down easily.
Day 2 About the same.
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Decent qpr. $20 grocery store wine. I’ve had worse. Opened up quite a bit more after two hours with nice plum, raspberry, and a hint of black pepper on the finish. Not amazing but not terrible either. Pressed for something while traveling, I’d have again.
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Splash decant. This was sweeter than I remember previous vintages, with the fruit being front and center. I hope this is just young and it mellows out with a couple years age.
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Nose: Classic Cabernet Sauvignon! Sweet pool of pure black cassis, black currant, and black cherry fruit with a touch of dark toasty oak. Nice complexity. Beautiful. (If evaluated from a fine Riedel glass.)
Pal: Med-full body. Smooth, lush, supple. Good concentration, especially for the price point. Ripe, soft tannins. Fantastic balance. 13.5% alc.
90 solid.
At $20 to $25, amazing value in Cabernet Sauvignon from Louis Martini/Gallo, per usual. Who makes a BETTER Cabernet Sauvignon at this price point in Napa or Sonoma? NO ONE.
JGH sommelier CMS-III, SF Bay Area CA
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Black currants, dark cherries, and a whiff of herbs on the nose. This is plump, full bodied, very balanced, with velvety tannins, and a delicious Sonoma Cabernet character.
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Hmm. Balance is nice, but it just suffers from a raisiny feel that reminds me of an Amarone or ripasso, which takes away freshness and potential. I didn't expect that at 13.9% wine.
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This is a nice reasonably priced Cab that should appeal to a wide cross section of wine drinkers. Some dark blueberry and blackberry on the nose and some subtle yet defined and dusty tannins with a medium long finish. Granite and moss hints add to the complexity.
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This is a nice cab in this price point- and thankfully doesn’t have that extra chemical syrup taste of other cabs at this price. Nose: tobacco, raspberries. Repeats on the palate, plus a touch of dust. Medium body, some tannins, long tart raspberry finish.
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Big California Cab. Juicy Black fruit. Strong presence of Oak but not unpleasant. Good balance between acidity and tannin l. Pleasant finish that make it a crowd pleaser!
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Good wine (if short) and better than expected. Hits quick with dark berry puree but backs right off, revealing a little vanilla, maybe mocha, a tiny hint of sweet greens, reasonable acid, and no real tannins to speak of. Also sensed the “manufactured” aspect cited by reviewers below: to me a little imbalanced and clean with the slightest chemically sense. Drink now.
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Brother in Town Lot's of Wines!!!; 6/26/2021-7/4/2021: Day 1: Well below the community average price of $19. Picked up for $12.99. A bit disjointed and a bit manufactored for my tastes. Sweet cherries, mild spices, dried herbs and a bit of heat on the finish. Will revisit. 86 points Day 2: Still tastes manufactored to me. Sweet fruits, spice and dried herbs. Still some heat on the finish. Not seeing any improvement. 85 points Day 3: Not much improvement and not my cup of tea. Recommedation: Serving this to my brother blind he thought it was a GSM blend from Australia which makes sense with the sweeter fruit profile.
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My expectations were low, but this was pleasing enough. Rich dark and red fruit, some wood spice. It's a tad ripe and sweet (just a tad), but a reasonable CA cab at a decent price. 88-89. (The Napa versions a clear step up, however.)
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This is a good, commercial wine that leans toward the extracted and hedonistic similar to Meiomi and Conundrum.
Deep almandine in the glass.
Nose is somewhat jammy with plum, blackberry and cassis. Oak notes of milk chocolate, car leather and clove with a hint of wet soil.
Palate shows a wine with huge, unresolved tannins, hot alcohol and high acidity.
Flavours dominated by black fruit with typical notes of spice, chocolate, leather and spice. Interesting addition of eucalyptus, which I learned is a common trait in Sonoma County.
Reasonably long, fruity finish.
Drink now-2026.
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I am mixed on this wine. On one hand it is rich & drinkable – bursting with ‘grapiness’, if you will. But the oak – ouch! Lot of wood character that really sits on the fruit – not integrated. It is almost like they used a wood alternative in SS tanks, you know? Don’t think it saw the barrel.
Large production wine made in Sonoma & at this price, how can I expect more? To its credit, it is very dry & drinkable – just don’t expect a single vineyard Cab. It is very broad tasting.
Buy again? Unsure…but, it would appeal to many & its inexpensive.
4/24/2024 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Decanted half an hour and served with Flannery dry aged strips. Purplish color with aromas of blackberry, plum, blue fruit, sappy herbs and loam. Medium-bodied with soft tannins and flavors of currants, mocha and fresh herbs. Medium+ finish. Excellent for the price.
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3/10/2024 - galewskj wrote: 87 Points
High/Low Blind Tasting III (Amy and Scott's house): Decanted about 30 minutes. Sadly this was another poor showing for this wine, maybe even worse than 1.5 years ago. Weak and sweet, it reminds me of a party wine.
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3/9/2024 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 81 Points
High/Low Blind Tasting III (Eagan, MN): High Low Tasting: The Cabernet Flight was the only disappointment as both of these wines were not good. I leaned a little bit towards the more expensive Martini. Medicinal taste with oak chips, blue fruits and spice. Short finish with some green qualities. This wine has not been good for many vintages.
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2/29/2024 - jackpark11 wrote: 88 Points
옅은 오크향 블랙커런트 괜찮은 산도의 피니시
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11/29/2023 - Dozhdbog Likes this wine: 90 Points
Significantly better than the first bottle I had a few months ago. Pleasantly dry with moderate notes of brambleberry, decent black currant, a touch of cinnamon & vanilla, and wet earth. Nicely balanced, not overwrought, and holds steady 4 hours after uncorking.
The first bottle tasted a bit confused, but not heat stressed. Perhaps this vintage hadn't hit its stride yet, or perhaps there are some bottling/blending inconsistencies.
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10/15/2023 - SDzinner wrote: 89 Points
Better than the consensus rating. Very nice. Drank over 2 days and second day outclassed the first.
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8/31/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine: 88 Points
Enjoyable California Cabernet Sauvignon.
quite ripe but still maintains a balance.
Met expectations.
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6/3/2023 - Duderino Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good QPR.
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2/21/2023 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 90 Points
Value $17 (on sale) California 2018 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County. Mid-garnet, brick edges, viscous (13.5 alc.); berry, mint, cassis, red fruit nose; mid acids/tannins; balanced; nice semi-long red fruit, light wood finish. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales.
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1/29/2023 - z747gdgh45 Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Inoffensive, easy to drink. No complexity, dark fruits with a bit of jamminess. Nothing special at the $20 price point.
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1/15/2023 - Dozhdbog Likes this wine: 85 Points
Off-dry and medium bodied, this has black fruits but the alcohol is more forward on the nose than the fruit. Blackberry jam on the start followed by a lightly leather finish that shifts back to jammy and lingers to a moderate extent.
This vintage was designed from the beginning to be quaffable by everyone and has definitely been fined and refined into "approachability".
Smooth, if slightly off balance with no complexity; I will say this: it's a good party wine and it does go down easily.
Day 2
About the same.
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12/23/2022 - NM Dreamer wrote: 50 Points
Too much fruit forward. Med-full bodied, not dry
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10/27/2022 - iamtramp Likes this wine: 85 Points
바디는 있는데 그래도 가볍고 산뜻함
뽕따해도 좋은듯
피니쉬는 길지 않지만 밸런스가 좋아서 가볍게 먹기 좋은듯
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10/25/2022 - Busrida Likes this wine: 84 Points
Good for the price. Had with good food and company.
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8/9/2022 - henrygjeffreys wrote:
Toasty spice on the nose, some dark fruit.
Lightish body with prominent oak. Acidity seems a bit jagged. Sweetish finish.
A bit underwhelming.
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7/27/2022 - Stuart10er Likes this wine:
Decent qpr. $20 grocery store wine. I’ve had worse. Opened up quite a bit more after two hours with nice plum, raspberry, and a hint of black pepper on the finish. Not amazing but not terrible either. Pressed for something while traveling, I’d have again.
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7/15/2022 - Duderino Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice QPR.
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7/10/2022 - galewskj wrote: 87 Points
Splash decant. This was sweeter than I remember previous vintages, with the fruit being front and center. I hope this is just young and it mellows out with a couple years age.
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6/19/2022 - Jon Harrison Likes this wine: 90 Points
(Diam3 anti-TCA composite cork)
Color: Med-dark ruby.
Nose: Classic Cabernet Sauvignon! Sweet pool of pure black cassis, black currant, and black cherry fruit with a touch of dark toasty oak. Nice complexity. Beautiful. (If evaluated from a fine Riedel glass.)
Pal: Med-full body. Smooth, lush, supple. Good concentration, especially for the price point. Ripe, soft tannins. Fantastic balance. 13.5% alc.
90 solid.
At $20 to $25, amazing value in Cabernet Sauvignon from Louis Martini/Gallo, per usual. Who makes a BETTER Cabernet Sauvignon at this price point in Napa or Sonoma? NO ONE.
JGH sommelier CMS-III, SF Bay Area CA
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5/30/2022 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
Black currants, dark cherries, and a whiff of herbs on the nose. This is plump, full bodied, very balanced, with velvety tannins, and a delicious Sonoma Cabernet character.
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4/14/2022 - JanK56 wrote: 54 Points
Meh, I would not buy this. It was a gift
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3/9/2022 - tsdv wrote: 84 Points
Supermarket wine (Publix). Not worth 19 bucks. Enjoyable manufactured style beverage, but some artificiality, probably a dash of additive here.
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2/19/2022 - GaryF Likes this wine: 88 Points
Solid wine for the price. Balanced, nothing overpowering. Should go well with food.
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1/20/2022 - S-F wrote: 87 Points
Hmm. Balance is nice, but it just suffers from a raisiny feel that reminds me of an Amarone or ripasso, which takes away freshness and potential. I didn't expect that at 13.9% wine.
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1/13/2022 - e7seed@msn.com wrote: 90 Points
For the price this gets a 90.
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1/6/2022 - pupaes Likes this wine: 88 Points
ditto dino's lodge. will try from napa, too.
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12/19/2021 - Dino’s Lodge Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is a nice reasonably priced Cab that should appeal to a wide cross section of wine drinkers. Some dark blueberry and blackberry on the nose and some subtle yet defined and dusty tannins with a medium long finish. Granite and moss hints add to the complexity.
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11/13/2021 - matiasox@gmail.com Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is a nice cab in this price point- and thankfully doesn’t have that extra chemical syrup taste of other cabs at this price. Nose: tobacco, raspberries. Repeats on the palate, plus a touch of dust. Medium body, some tannins, long tart raspberry finish.
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11/9/2021 - CGaudreault Likes this wine: 88 Points
Big California Cab. Juicy Black fruit. Strong presence of Oak but not unpleasant. Good balance between acidity and tannin l. Pleasant finish that make it a crowd pleaser!
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8/22/2021 - Rollerball wrote: 87 Points
Good wine (if short) and better than expected. Hits quick with dark berry puree but backs right off, revealing a little vanilla, maybe mocha, a tiny hint of sweet greens, reasonable acid, and no real tannins to speak of. Also sensed the “manufactured” aspect cited by reviewers below: to me a little imbalanced and clean with the slightest chemically sense. Drink now.
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6/26/2021 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 86 Points
Brother in Town Lot's of Wines!!!; 6/26/2021-7/4/2021: Day 1: Well below the community average price of $19. Picked up for $12.99. A bit disjointed and a bit manufactored for my tastes. Sweet cherries, mild spices, dried herbs and a bit of heat on the finish. Will revisit. 86 points
Day 2: Still tastes manufactored to me. Sweet fruits, spice and dried herbs. Still some heat on the finish. Not seeing any improvement. 85 points
Day 3: Not much improvement and not my cup of tea.
Recommedation: Serving this to my brother blind he thought it was a GSM blend from Australia which makes sense with the sweeter fruit profile.
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2/9/2021 - Jzizzle Likes this wine: 88 Points
My expectations were low, but this was pleasing enough. Rich dark and red fruit, some wood spice. It's a tad ripe and sweet (just a tad), but a reasonable CA cab at a decent price. 88-89.
(The Napa versions a clear step up, however.)
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2/8/2021 - MS86 Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is a good, commercial wine that leans toward the extracted and hedonistic similar to Meiomi and Conundrum.
Deep almandine in the glass.
Nose is somewhat jammy with plum, blackberry and cassis. Oak notes of milk chocolate, car leather and clove with a hint of wet soil.
Palate shows a wine with huge, unresolved tannins, hot alcohol and high acidity.
Flavours dominated by black fruit with typical notes of spice, chocolate, leather and spice. Interesting addition of eucalyptus, which I learned is a common trait in Sonoma County.
Reasonably long, fruity finish.
Drink now-2026.
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2/6/2021 - KillerJones Does not like this wine: 84 Points
I am mixed on this wine. On one hand it is rich & drinkable – bursting with ‘grapiness’, if you will. But the oak – ouch! Lot of wood character that really sits on the fruit – not integrated. It is almost like they used a wood alternative in SS tanks, you know? Don’t think it saw the barrel.
Large production wine made in Sonoma & at this price, how can I expect more? To its credit, it is very dry & drinkable – just don’t expect a single vineyard Cab. It is very broad tasting.
Buy again? Unsure…but, it would appeal to many & its inexpensive.
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11/22/2020 - Willmac9 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good!
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