Any experience with Martin Estate wines?

So I picked up a lot of 6 bottles of 2006 Martin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Collector’s Reserve from the last Spectrum auction for about $19/bottle (after buyer’s premium). I know the newer vintages (since 2012?) are under Aaron Pott, and now command $150+/bottle. There are very few notes on CT regarding any Martin Estate Cabs and there’s little mention of this estate here on Berserkers. Does anyone have any insight on what the house style is/was and what I can expect? TIA

My only experience was with the 2010 and the oak treatment was just way too heavy handed for me to enjoy it.

I hope your ‘06s show better.

Thanks Andrew. That is bad news - my palate falls into the very oak-intolerant end of the spectrum. Crap.

That price is certainly very right, but the 06 is the least delicious vintage of the 1/2 dozen I have tried over the years.

Wines lean towards old school Rutherford but don’t often lead with the dust. It’s a very interesting visit as Greg Martin made his wealth in antiquities and there are many on display at the old gravity winery he restored.

Thanks for the input. Maybe that’s why there was no bidding up of this lot, though there is nothing in the CT notes to make the determination that 2006 is a lesser vintage. In any case, I’ll be picking up the wines this week and will pop one this weekend for sure.

The first bottle of the 6-bottle lot was stellar. Not over-oaked at all.

2006 Martin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Collector’s Reserve Rutherford - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford (11/19/2019)
14.8% abv. Recent auction purchase.
Lovely ripe cabernet aromatics. On the palate, rich and ripe but not to the level of having liqueur characteristics. Silky mouthfeel with good focus and good acidity. Dense and concentrated, but does not hang with the most powerful Napa cabernets (a good thing in my book). Did not get any overt oak, so it must be fully integrated at this point. Not the most complex, and a touch of heat, but I’m extremely happy to have picked 6 of these up at auction for the paltry sum of $19/bottle (including BP!). Can’t believe that nobody was bidding against me on this lot, as newer vintages of this go for $160/btl! (94 pts.)

Glad to hear it! Congrats on what sounds like a super score.

Sweet score. Take one to a blind tasting. I’d have been all over that lot for what you paid man.

I’ve had a couple bottles of the 2005 Bacchanal and I loved them. $30 on Winebid. As good as any other Napa Cab I’ve had.

The estate wine is a very serious step above Bacchanal.

Can anyone confirm that Aaron Pott took over for the 2012 vintage? Any ideas if the style has changed?

He does make the wines now, as to style I just don’t know.