Above 9 bottles per lot
Details
LOUIS M. MARTINI WINERY
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 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. ST
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon California Mountain Private Reserve--Vintage 1955
Level: bottom neck (1)
Louis Martini Barbera California Mountain Private Reserve
--Vintage 1957
Levels: two bottom neck and two very top shoulder(4)
--Vintage 1960
Level: into neck; nicked label(1)
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon California Mountain
--Vintage 1958
Level: into neck(1)
--Vintage 1963
Level: into neck(1)
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection California Mountain--Vintage 1959
Level: bottom neck(1)
Above 9 bottles per lot
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 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. ST
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon California Mountain Private Reserve--Vintage 1955
Level: bottom neck (1)
Louis Martini Barbera California Mountain Private Reserve
--Vintage 1957
Levels: two bottom neck and two very top shoulder(4)
--Vintage 1960
Level: into neck; nicked label(1)
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon California Mountain
--Vintage 1958
Level: into neck(1)
--Vintage 1963
Level: into neck(1)
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection California Mountain--Vintage 1959
Level: bottom neck(1)
Above 9 bottles per lot
Special notice
From time to time, Christie's may offer a lot which it owns in whole or in part. This is such a lot.