Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 1 2019

Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 1 2019 is a full-bodied Napa Valley red wine at 14.8% ABV in a standard 750ml bottle. This vintage earned 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, placing it among the most critically celebrated releases in the Lot 1 program's history.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.8%  |  Origin: Napa Valley, California  |  Vintage: 2019  |  Producer: Louis M. Martini Winery

Production & Heritage

Louis M. Martini Winery was founded in 1933, making it one of Napa Valley's oldest continuously operating producers. Now owned by E. & J. Gallo Winery, the estate continues to produce its flagship Lot 1 Cabernet as a showcase of top vineyard sources across the valley. The 2019 vintage draws nearly half its fruit from the renowned Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak — a notable shift toward more mountain-grown character. The blend is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, and 2% Malbec, all hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and fermented in small open-top tanks. Aging took place over 20 months in 95% new French oak barrels made from staves that were air-dried for 36 months, a practice that encourages a richer, more integrated tannin structure.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with deep crème de cassis and black cherry, layered with faint herbal notions and dried fennel root. Beneath the fruit sits a subtle thread of green olive and graphite that adds complexity.

Taste: On the palate, this wine is expansive and richly concentrated. Blueberry and blackberry fruit arrive on entry, building through a mid-palate of dark chocolate, espresso, and Chinese five spice. Forest floor and liquorice notes emerge as the wine opens, giving the impression of depth well beyond its years.

Finish: The finish is long and velvety, shaped by softly dusty tannins that frame lingering cocoa and dark berry. It resolves cleanly, leaving a polished, mineral-edged impression.

How to Drink Lot 1 2019

A wine of this concentration and structure is best served neat in a large Bordeaux glass at around 62–65°F, allowing 30 to 60 minutes of decanting to fully open the aromatics. While it drinks beautifully now, it has the tannic backbone to age gracefully for another 8–10 years in proper cellar conditions.

Best For

• Gifting a serious Napa Cabernet collector a critically acclaimed vintage
• Anchoring a multi-course steak dinner or special anniversary meal
• Cellaring alongside other premium 2019 Napa Cabernets for long-term aging
• Pouring at a blind tasting of high-scoring Napa reds to showcase mountain fruit character

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lot 1 2019 taste like? It delivers concentrated blueberry and blackberry fruit layered with dark chocolate, espresso, and Chinese five spice, finishing with velvety tannins and lingering cocoa. The wine is full-bodied and expansive, with a polished structure that reflects its 20-month aging in predominantly new French oak.

How does Lot 1 2019 compare to Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet? Both are premium Napa Valley Cabernets, but Lot 1 2019 leans into a richer, more concentrated profile with significant mountain fruit from Stagecoach Vineyard and 95% new French oak aging. Artemis tends to be styled as a more approachable, valley-floor-driven wine with softer tannin and less oak influence.

Is Lot 1 2019 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — this is a wine designed for the table and the glass, with enough complexity, structure, and length to reward careful, contemplative drinking over the course of a meal or an evening.

Where is Lot 1 made? Louis M. Martini Winery is located in St. Helena in the heart of Napa Valley, California, and has been producing wine since 1933. The 2019 Lot 1 draws nearly half its fruit from the high-elevation Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak.

What foods pair well with Lot 1 2019? Grilled prime ribeye steak complements the wine's dark fruit weight and tannin grip. Braised short ribs with a red wine reduction echo its cocoa and spice tones. Aged hard cheeses like 24-month Comté highlight the graphite and mineral notes. Roasted lamb with herbs bridges the wine's faint herbal and forest floor character. Dark chocolate desserts with espresso reinforce the finish.

What sizes does Lot 1 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format for this wine.

Is Lot 1 2019 worth the price? Lot 1 positions as a premium Napa Cabernet that competes with wines priced well above its tier — its 95-point Robert Parker score and use of top-tier vineyard sources like Stagecoach place it in rare company for its price range. It represents strong value within the upper echelon of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Why Lot 1 2019?

The 2019 vintage marks a particularly compelling chapter for the Lot 1 program, with nearly half the blend sourced from Stagecoach Vineyard — one of Napa's most sought-after mountain sites. That fruit, combined with fermentation in small open-top tanks and 20 months in 95% new air-dried French oak, produced a wine that earned 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. Among Napa Cabernets at this level, Lot 1 2019 stands out for its combination of mountain-grown intensity, meticulous barrel selection, and a nine-decade winemaking legacy that few producers in the valley can match.