In the history of Vinous Media, Marietta Cellars Arme is the only Cabernet Sauvignon to score 93+ points and sell for less than $25!
If you like California Cabernet Sauvignon, don’t miss out on this.
2016 Marietta Cellars Arme Proprietary Red Wine
93 points Vinous Media
This vintage is sold out. Stop by the store or click here to order the new vintage in our online store.
Is it as good as they say it is? I say yes, and I’d actually give it 94 points. This has been one of our go-to Cali Cabs since it first came out, but the 2016 vintage is special. Possessing style and stuffing typically found in $50+ Cabs, this is deep, concentrated and plush, with lots of layering and complexity.
Vinous Media’s Antonio Galloni loved this one. “The 2016 Armé is another superb wine in the middle tier of the Marietta range. Fresh, savory and super-expressive, the Armé has a lot going on. Black cherry, sage, lavender, menthol and licorice give the wine striking savory nuance to play off the dark Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. More than anything else, though, the Armé is a superb value in California Cabernet. Drink Now – 2030.”
A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller doses of Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, this one saw 20 months of aging in older French oak barrels. Grapes come from a mixture of estate vineyards in Alexander Valley and Mendocino County, and the finished product is worthy of a case purchase.
Scott Bilbro has very capably followed in the footsteps of his dad Chris Bilbro, crafting some of California’s greatest red wine values. Like his father, Scott is happiest working in the vineyards on his trusted tractor. I am confident that this connection to and care for the land comes through in the finished product.
How do they keep their wines so fairly priced? I don’t ask those questions; I just buy their wines. But I would guess a lot of this is attributed to the fact that they own all their vineyards now. No land lease equals lower prices, especially with folks as friendly and honest as the Bilbros.
Let me wrap this up. 93 points from one of the best palates in the game, less than $25, and offering up immediate appeal and cellar potential. This will not last long my friends.
This vintage is sold out. Stop by the store or click here to order the new vintage in our online store.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville