1976 Louis M. Martini North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

Louis M. Martini is one of Napa Valley’s most historic wineries. It was founded by Louis M. Martini, who left his home in Genoa, Italy, to join his father in San Francisco in 1899. After experimenting with winemaking, the senior Martini sent his son back to Italy for 5 years to learn winemaking, and by 1911 the men were making wine for sale in rented space outside of San Francisco. Always known for its progressive thinking and attention to quality, the winery became one of the first and most successful large wineries in Napa Valley. In 2002 it was purchased by the Gallo family. The estate owns 700 acres and makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Malbec, Meritage and Petite Sirah.

North Coast AVA includes California’s most prestigious sub-appellations and vineyards. The three million acre area includes vineyards in six counties north of San Francisco and nearly 50 sub-appellations. The Napa Valley and Sonoma County AVAs are just two of the renowned sub-appellations included in the North Coast designation, which also includes the AVAs Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Oakville, Stag’s Leap and Rutherford, which are all among the most acclaimed wine producing districts in California. The North Coast AVA designation is generally used for wines made by blending grapes grown in several counties or AVAs. The appellation includes part of the counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Marin, Solano and Lake.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.