There were producers that used Petite, I’d be surprised if Martini was one. Note that “heavy” is in the eye of the beholder, few of their wines would have been considered heavy by any modern standard (or really the standards at the time).
-Al
2 Likes
Do any of your older Martinis have in lieu of a lead foil that plastic cover, with pull tab?
I seem to remember that on some I have opened.
1 Like
Hi Dan, These are from the Bancroft oral history series, the one I noted earlier was from “Great Winemakers of California” which is probably found pretty easily at a used book site. Links to the Oral histories - https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/roho/ucb/text/martini_louis_p__w.pdf
https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/roho/ucb/text/martini_louis_m_and_louis_p__w.pdf
3 Likes
Just checked and my older bottles (1955 Cabernet and barbera from the 60’s) do not…but a 1980 Barbera does! Check out the pic below.
Quite a few of my petite sirah’s fromn the 70’s also have the plastic ‘pull tab’ cover (Parducci, Round Pond, etc) and almost all of my Fetzer’s from the 70’s (zins and PS).
Speaking of that plastic cover…does anyone know the story behind them? Why they started using them and why they stopped (probably more of a pain in the ass to put on and maybe more expensive than foil?)
1974 SS Cabernet had the plastic capsule.
1 Like
'79 Martini Cab Monte Rosso Lot 2 has a white plastic capsule thingy. I guess the upside is that it wasn’t lead. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stopped using them when the special machine that put them on the bottles broke down and the manufacturer was no longer in business to fix it.
@Rich_Brown is that background for your pictures your cellar or an empty trophies wall?
Cheers,
fred
2 Likes
There was a period when Martini and Wente standardized all their wines with a bottle that was half way between Burgundy and Bordeaux. That and the plastic capsule were not big hits.
2 Likes
I think the plastic capsules were in the 1970s, not used earlier and not popular.
-Al
1 Like
Yep, i can see that Fred! Taking another quick look, some of my cabs from the 70’s also have the plastic capsule (78 Harbor Winery, 78 Grand Cru Vineyards, etc). Seems like it might have been a ‘70’s thing’, as i don’t have that cap on any CA wines from the 50’s or 60’s (or the few 1935’s that i have either)
And yep, that’s my cellar in the background (technically a ‘wine wall’ i guess)
Didnt see this before i posted but that seems correct based on the wines i have in the cellar 
1 Like
this is such a fascinating thread, thank you!!
2 Likes
Have you rigged it up so that you can go fetch wine like the wine angels at Aureole? It would be a good upgrade.
fred
That would definitely be MUCH cooler, ha!
You’ve got 1978 Harbor Cabernet??? 
I used to sell Harbor on the East Coast (actually I bought it to sell but drank and shared most of it). Charles Meyers was a good friend. IIRC, the wine is 100% To Kalon fruit. I would dearly love to taste it again if there is any way to make that happen. Buy, trade; you wouldn’t have more than one bottle?
Thank you in any case, just for still having these wines even if I don’t get to taste them
Rich Brown comes to D.C. as guest of honor when? 
I’ll be ready.
1 Like
I’ve had that plastic capsule on some 70’s Harbor wines also along with some random early 80’s wines. I don’t think I’ve seen anything personally after maybe 83 with the plastic capsule.
2 Likes
I’ll shoot you a PM and we can try to figure something out
1 Like
What happened to that AZ trip you were supposed to take??
(Laughs & Laughs)
I have travel updates 
! Will message later tonight after Parenting is finished 
. My Burgundy trip threw off my travel rhythm. Also, my suspicion is getting Dan to D.C. would be easier than AZ. That said, if Dan’s up for AZ…
Your emotions are very important to me 
1 Like
First “old” wine I ever had was a 1968 Louis Martin Cabernet Sauvignon in 1984 as I started exploring wine. I remember turning to my girlfriend and now wife and saying, “can you believe this wine is 16 years old?” My head was spinning to think it had lasted that long. Yours is about 40 years past that!
1 Like