Michael Martini at Spec's Downtown

     A couple of friends from one of my wine classes suggested we attend a Louis M. Martini tasting at the downtown Spec's last week. Winemaker Michael Martini was there to present five of his wines and regale us with stories about growing up in one of  California's well known wine making families.
     We started with the 2009 Sonoma County Cabernet priced at approximately $12. Simple, black fruit with soft tannins.
     Next, we compared the 2009 Alexander Valley Cabernet and the 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet which Mike called his "every night at home drink". He explained that the 2009 growing season had been cooler than normal resulting in higher acids than usual. The Alexander Valley Cabernet had a pronounced blueberry character while the Napa had more of a black cherry quality. They are priced around $25.
     The 2008 Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at $65 followed. The Monte Rosso Vineyard is located on the southwest side of the Mayacamas mountain range in Sonoma Valley. I have this marked as my favorite but I did not make a note as to the why so I guess that is a 'lost thought'. We ended the tasting with the 2008 Napa Valley Lot 1 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a limited bottling (450 cases this year) and it is priced at approximately $120 and it delivers all that you expect when you think of Napa Valley Cabernet.