Beschreibung:

LOUIS M. MARTINI WINERY, CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN, SPECIAL SELECTION AND PRIVATE RESERVE -- TWO GREAT WINES OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN NAPA It's not hard to blame consumers for overlooking Louis Martini wines. For most the brand is associated with bulk production both in box and gallon bottle. However, over my career I've seen many of the following vintages in the cellars of established and long-time collectors but until now few were willing to part with the wines. After a while you begin to wonder why so many of the more mature collections contained these wines. I discovered the answer when I was given a bottle of 1966 L. Martini, California Mountain, Special Selection, Pinot Noir. It was opened after a blind Grand Cru red Burgundy tasting because not much thought was given to include it in that evening's line up. In the end, it was by far the finest wine tasted that night, blind or not. It will forever be a memorable wine for me. Of the Cabernet Sauvignon wines made by Louis P. Martini, who took over from his father, Louis M., in 1957 it is the California Mountain fruit in either the Special Selection or Private Reserve designation that are the most treasured by collectors in "the know". Their ability to age not just with grace but gain in complexity arguably put them in a league with benchmark Napa producers Inglenook and BV. Of the historical vintages 1951, '57, '58, and '68 Lot 4 rank among the finest the Estate ever produced. With the exception of the 1951 three of these four vintages are included below. ST Louis Martini Winery, California Mountain, Special Selection, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley --Vintage 1957 Levels: both bottom neck (2) --Vintage 1958 Level: into neck (1) Above 3 bottles per lot