Louis Martini Lot 1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Professional Ratings

• 95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The spectacular 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 1 comes from Martini’s own vineyards as well as several growers, including a whopping 45% from the Stagecoach Vineyard. It is a cross-AVA blend of 45% Atlas Peak, 21% Stags Leap and 34% Napa Valley. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 21 months in French oak (96% new), just under 900 cases were produced. A stunning dense ruby/purple color is followed by abundant aromas of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, licorice and spice box. This full-bodied beauty should age effortlessly for 20-25+ years.
• 93 James Suckling
  A dense and rich red with dark berry and mineral character. Full body, round and velvety tannins and a fresh finish. A cabernet with lots of fruit but shows tension and balance. Drink or hold.
• 91 Wine Enthusiast
  Reduced and highly concentrated, this powerful wine is brooding in black peppercorn, leather and a wealth of black color and black fruit. Chewy on the entry, it softens and integrates over time, getting better in the glass as it goes, a rich, rewarding mix of blackberry, clove and cigar.
• 90 Wine Spectator
  A potent, extracted style, with dense dark berry, dusty earth, cedar and tobacco leaf notes, ending a bit dry and savory. A little time in the bottle should allow this to improve. Drink now through 2026.
• 90 Connoisseurs' Guide
  This big and bold take on Cabernet holds nothing back and will never be accused of timidity, and, if not one that will be fancied by those demanding delicacy and nuance, it will more than satisfy seekers of sheer richness and depth. For all of its bluster and lack of restraint, it still manages to keep its varietal bearings intact, and, despite its brusque tannins and undisguised heat, it remains very rich to the end. It is inelegant stuff now and expecting it to somehow become genteel is expecting too much, and it should be enjoyed in a few years for the ripe, fully extracted, mouthfilling wine that it is.