Louis M. Martini Winery

Sip Bordeaux-style wines in historic winery’s Napa Valley tasting room.

“The Eventual Choice of the American Public” reads the copy in a framed 1930s print ad for Martini Wines. The wording seems awkward until you realize it refers to the nearly decade and a half, then finally ending, that the U.S. banned alcohol sales. Ahead of Prohibition’s repeal, Louis M. Martini established a winery in 1933 about a mile and a quarter south of downtown St. Helena.

Soak Up the History

Soaking up the history of Louis M. Martini Winery, whose Italian-born namesake emigrated to San Francisco, later returning briefly to Italy to learn winemaking, is one of the pleasures of a visit here. Equally appealing are the wines, particularly the mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignons from the Stagecoach Vineyard (Atlas Peak, Napa Valley) and Monte Rosso Vineyard (Moon Mountain, Sonoma County), the Lot 1 Cabernet Sauvignon from several top vineyards, and bottlings of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and other Bordeaux varietals.

Multiple Tasting Options

In 2019, Louis M. Martini Winery unveiled a splashy multimillion-dollar hospitality center designed by the firm of Howard Backen, among the Wine Country’s top architects. Depending on the day or time of year, the tasting options vary. You can sip a few recent wines as part of a Taste of Martini; weather-permitting, you can do so outside in Martini Park. To delve deeper into this legendary brand, consider reserving a Crown Collection Experience  of single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, with or without a food pairing. This tasting concludes with Lot 1. 

Up the ante from spring to mid-fall by reserving a Cabana Tasting (up to 10 people), at which several wines are paired with sizeable bites. The splurge at Martini ($325 per person as of September 2024), the Underground Cellar Experience, which involves food and small-lot and library wines, takes place amid huge old barrels, vintage wine bottles, the aforementioned print ad, and other artifacts. Whichever tasting you choose, take the time to explore the landscaped grounds.

Why go: outdoor tasting spaces; professional hospitality; winery’s place in Napa Valley history. 

Itinerary 

Louis M. Martini Winery appears in 3 Historic Napa Valley Wineries Day Trip. 

Info

254 St. Helena Hwy. S, St. Helena 94574

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This story first appeared in 2019; it was most recently updated in 2024.