Wine of the week: Louis M. Martini, 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

With the holidays upon us and guests scheduled to descend on your doorstep, here’s the monumental question: Is your house wine-ready?

Do you have an ample supply of good cabernet to see you through the festivities? The frenzied can relax because we’ve done the work for you. In the recent Press Democrat tasting, we found an intriguing line-up of tasty cabs to uncork.

Our wine of the week winner is the Louis M. Martini, 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $45. It’s a striking wine that over-delivers for the quality of this cab. It has high-toned fruit coupled with chocolate and cracked black pepper. With firm tannins and nice length, this cab will impress your family and friends.

Other tasty cabs, at a range of price points, include: Fathia, 2016 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $49; Rodney Strong Vineyards, 2018 Reserve Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $55; Newton, 2018 Napa Valley, The Puzzle, Cabernet Sauvignon at $125; and Spottswoode, 2018 St. Helena, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $235.

As for the winning Louis M. Martini cab, winemaker Michael Eddy said the style he’s shooting for is California classic.

“The wines have more ripeness and generosity than the Old World but still maintain more acidity and backbone than that of more modern styles,” he said.

The winemaker, who’s also a foodie, was initially drawn to wine because of a cookbook.

“I was intrigued by the idea of wine when I was around 11 years old, when I had my first cookbook,” Eddy said. “It was the ‘Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine,’ and there was an appendix that had a little wine primer. I didn’t know anything about wine and I’d never tasted it, but the complexity and the regions it came from just seemed so interesting and exciting.”

Eddy, 48, joined the Martini team in 2005. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Humboldt State University and a master’s degree in food science specializing in oenology at UC Davis.

His credits include jobs at Napa Valley’s Trefethen Family Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sonoma County’s Rodney Strong Vineyards.

Louis M. Martini Winery has produced cabernet sauvignon for 85 years, and Eddy is the fourth winemaker in the winery’s history.

“I’m inspired by the three generations of Martinis that preceded me in the cellar,” Eddy said. “It’s important to me to be connected to tradition, history and a genuine story. It adds depth and a sense of purpose, and it makes me feel rooted in something. My goal is to illustrate the personalities and stylistic differences of cabernet by creating different expressions of the varietal throughout the Louis M. Martini portfolio.”

Eddy said the flagship Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon is sourced from several of the winery’s premium high-elevation and valley-floor vineyards.

“The 2018 vintage,” he said, “is a beautifully balanced blend that pairs well with good conversation and your favorite holiday recipes.”

Wine writer Peg Melnik can be reached at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.