2022 Marietta - Arme Cabernet Sauvignon (750ml)

Marietta Cellars was founded by Chris Bilbro in 1978, starting with just a handful of purchased grapes and growing into a Sonoma County institution best known for creating the Old Vine Red category outright. Bilbro's winemaking roots run three generations deep in the region, and under his family's continued stewardship Marietta has built a reputation for balanced, site-driven Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Rhône-style blends. This bottling is named for Armé, the husband of family matriarch Marietta, whose own colorful history included time spent in prison during Prohibition.

The wine draws primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon, rounded out with small additions of Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot for added depth and complexity. Marietta's estate holdings span Alexander Valley and Mendocino County, land the family has worked and expanded for decades, and the winery continues to emphasize traditional, low-intervention methods that let each vineyard's character carry through. The blend proportions shift slightly from year to year depending on how each variety performs in the vintage.

The 2022 Armé is bold and generous, opening with blackcurrant, black plum, and grilled pepper alongside herbal notes of dried mint, sage, and lavender. The full-bodied palate balances concentrated fruit with grippy, clay-textured tannins and juicy acidity, finishing long with hints of graphite and black olive. It's well suited to grilled ribeye, lamb chops, or a hard aged cheese.