Michael Eddy

Winemaker, Louis M. Martini Winery

Michael Eddy began his journey with Martini in 2005, spending more than a decade honing his skills under the tutelage of Michael Martini, grandson of founder Louis M. Martini. His focus on Cabernet Sauvignon has helped him flourish as a Cabernet Sauvignon craftsman. As the fourth winemaker in Martini history, he continues the winery’s nearly 90-year legacy of superior craftsmanship in the cellar.

Inspired by Louis M. Martini’s passion for selecting mountain vineyards and second-generation winemaker Louis P. Martini’s innovations in the vineyard and cellar, Michael skillfully crafts a portfolio of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that celebrates terroir and illustrates the personalities and stylistic differences of the variety. During his tenure, Martini wines have been consistently praised by some of the world’s most renowned critics. He attributes the winery’s success to the Martini family’s profound knowledge of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Michael grew up in Southern California and earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Humboldt State University. He later pursued a master’s degree in Food Science, specializing in enology, at the University of California at Davis. Prior to joining Martini, Michael’s background in winemaking included positions at Trefethen Family Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard and Rodney Strong Vineyards.

Country born: USA

Education: B.S. in Biology- Humboldt State University
M.S. in Food Science- University of California at Davis

Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years

Winemaking Philosophy:
“As only the fourth winemaker in the history of the Louis M. Martini Winery, my goal is to uphold the Martini family’s passion and winemaking standards that continues to span generations. I am not trying to recreate the wines of the past. Rather, I harness our storied legacy as inspiration to give meaning to what we do as we create Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for today.
Every choice made in the vineyard and in the winery has an impact on how the wine ends up tasting in the glass. Every one of them. That ends up being thousands of choices, if not more. Some of the choices have a small impact and some of them have a large impact. Building upon the vision and knowledge of our founders, my philosophy is to exercise mindful focus and exert appropriate attention and effort in the cellar to unveil the standout qualities of Cabernet and craft a collection of Napa Valley Cabernet that celebrates this great variety and the terroir where it is grown.”