France · Burgundy

Perrot-Minot

Louis M. Martini is one of California's most historic wineries, founded in 1933 in St. Helena by Italian immigrant Louis M. Martini immediately following Prohibition's repeal. The winery pioneered accessible California varietals in the mid-20th century and is particularly celebrated for its Cabernet Sauvignon from Monte Rosso Vineyard on Sonoma's Moon Mountain District — a high-elevation site at 1,200–2,000 feet on red volcanic soils that Martini has farmed since 1938. At auction, 112 lots averaging $120 per bottle reflects the estate's range from accessible Napa Valley floor Cabernet to the prized Monte Rosso Private Reserve and Special Selection lots. The Monte Rosso-sourced wines are the primary auction drivers, trading at $100–$200 per bottle for top vintages. Critical attention intensified after E & J Gallo purchased Martini in 2002 and invested significantly in Monte Rosso's revival, producing wines that earned 95–98 points from Wine Advocate for the 2012 and 2015 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon. Older Lot 1 and Special Selection Cabernet releases from the 1970s and 1980s represent California wine history at auction, trading on provenance and rarity as much as current drinking quality. The brand's combination of historic pedigree, large-scale ownership post-Gallo, and the Monte Rosso premium vineyard creates an unusual value-to-quality spread across its portfolio tiers.