Born in Southern Spain and raised in Madrid, Miguel Martin earned a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Madrid. He came to the US and made wine on Long Island before attending the winemaking program at UC Davis, California. He then earned a masters degree in enology and viticulture from the Center for Agarian Investigation in Madrid. He worked in Sonoma for years, then Australia and Chile. He settled into the Carmel Valley in the Central Coast region. He later worked in Lodi for Robert Mondavi at the Woodbridge winery in Lodi. Around 2002 he moved to Catalunya, Spain and then later in La Mancha to start up a new winery. In 2006 he was named head winemaker for Palmer Vineyards on Long Island. He made there some of the most spectacular whites on the North Fork there. He is currently the headwinemaker at McCall Vineyards, another high quality producer.
This medium bodied red was aged in neutral oak, so it desplays the more fruit forward style, and less oak that I prefer for north east Cab Franc. This wine, which has a lovely red/purple color, exhibits a perfect balance of fruit and tannins and acidity. Lovely notes of cherry and plumb, softer, lighter notes of vanilla and cranberry, all combined to make a wine that is both fresh, layered, and well balanced - and with fruit that lingers. An exceptional red wine - bright and deep, and frankly - stunning.
Congrats to the folks at McCall, and to Miguel.