In a vintage that played to its strengths, the terrific 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard is a cool, gently herbal wine, loaded with black cherries and cassis, with just a touch of licorice. It's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety without being heavy at all, concentrated and intense, with a long, tannic but ripe finish. Give it a few years in the cellar if you can keep your hands off it.
While it has been owned since 2018 by Lawrence Wine Estates, under the direction of CEO Carlton McCoy Jr, McCoy has tried to maintain the conservative, traditional styling of the wines. Balance and age-worthiness are the bullet points on the resumé, and that's reflected in the recent releases from this historic winery.
The Cabernet Sauvignons see 40% new oak (for the blended wines), up to 60% for the single-vineyard bottlings. Ferments are long and cool, to preserve fruit while avoiding harsh extraction. Uniquely for Napa, the wines are pressed before dryness into large uprights, where they undergo malolactic fermentation before going into barrel, approximately nine months later. Extended élevage is the rule here, so when I visited in early 2024, the 2018 single vineyards were being shown and are still the current offerings.
Published: Jul 03, 2024