2007-10-26
Tasting Room of the Week:
LOUIS M. MARTINI WINERY
by Nan Reiley
No family name has played a more prominent part in the history of winemaking in Napa Valley than “Martini.” There has been a Martini making wine here since 1933, when Prohibition was repealed, and the wine business was finally free to rise from its deathbed and begin a new life.
Louis M. Martini, who studied enology in his native Genoa, Italy, arrived in Napa Valley in that year, and promptly began to build his own winery near the little town of St. Helena. His was an unusual approach to the business at the time – he was interested in making good wine, something that Americans had not seen for the almost fifteen years of Prohibition. His equipment and winemaking processes were very sophisticated for the times, yet he sold his wines at a reasonable price, and took enough pride in them to be one of the first area winemakers to vintage date the bottles.
Louis M.’s son, Louis P., joined his father in the business and brought to his work a keen interest in viticulture and vineyard farming practices. He was one of the first winemakers to understand the impact that soil, climate and clonal selection would have on the wine itself. And he was the first to produce Merlot (one of the most famous red Bordeaux grape varieties) and bottle it with that name.
The third generation, in the person of Winemaker Michael Martini, is making wines worthy of his family tradition. Under the auspices of Gallo family ownership (another legendary name in California’s wine history), Michael now has even more vineyards to provide depth and variety in his wine. Michael has traveled widely in France and focused on how the French use different grape varieties to create rich, complex red Bordeaux wines. Here at home, Michael makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and his own creation, Los Niños (The Children), a blend of red Bordeaux grapes that changes from year to year.
A visit to the Louis M. Martini tasting room is a must for visitors to Napa Valley. Standing in the midst of California wine history, you can taste Michael’s award-winning wines. Whether you choose to enjoy the shady outside patio in warm weather or luxuriate inside the newly-redesigned tasting room, you can enjoy the delicious Martini wines.
Step up to the gleaming black wood bar and admire the cream-colored walls alternating with ruby-red walls. Rich Turkish rugs adorn the floor beneath your feet, and three circular skylights above your head are surrounded by barrel staves, to make you feel as if you were looking at the sky through a wine barrel.
Must-taste wines include Michael’s Monte Rosso Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Monte Rosso Vineyard, perched high up on the eastern slopes of Sonoma Valley, is one of northern California’s oldest and most prestigious vineyards, and the wines coming from here are deep, rich and powerful. The 2002 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon ($70) is the ultimate expression of this red Bordeaux varietal. For Chardonnay, the newly released 2006 Napa Valley Chardonnay ($24) is crisp and fresh, with pear, apple and citrus notes melding in a silky mouthfeel and cool finish.
The winery and tasting room are located at 254 South St. Helena Hwy (Hwy. 29), one mile south of the center of town. The tasting room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tasting wines vary according to season and availability, so fees will vary based on the wines you wish to taste. Usually the fees will be $10 to $15. For more information, visit the website at www.louismartini.com or call (707) 968-3361.
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