Not surprisingly, this is very Bordeaux in style with subdued dark fruits and a finely-etched texture. If you're a lover of the rich style of Napa Cab, I think you'll find it rather quiet but I kinda like that a wine of finesse and elegance like this can be made on Howell Mountain. Ready now but could grow more complex in time.
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excellent with dark fruits, scorched earth, spices, and vanilla. restrained for napa. took about an hour of air to really get going. i think this is still on its way up for several years and will drink really well for a long time. great with some prime ribeyes
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Pretty nose of cassis and black spices. Quite austere for a Napa Cab but very finely textured with a lean but silky mouthfeel. Delicious but subtle flavors of black currants and minerals which lead to a taut finish with notes of dark spices and smoky blackberries. I'm sure I would've guessed blind that this was Bordeaux which makes sense given the winemaker. Anyway, very few Napa Cabs are this elegant and refined.
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1 hour decant. Nose was muted but with aromas of cassis, black raspberry and a mild earthiness with cedar pine. First mouthfeel reveals a strong structure, dark fruit with notes of blackberry and some leather. Well balanced and notes on the nose carry through to a moderate finish. Strong tannins, slightly granular. This wine is still very young and will likely improve greatly in the next 3-5 years. Still a wonderful experience at this stage. Really good wine.
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92+ 4 hour decant great nose good finish and nice flavors. Wotn for most at the party. Fairly priced for the quality. Fairly complex with a good mouthfeel. Deep purple Lot of bell pepper.
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1 hour decant (mag decanter). Nose: Fabulous aromas of cassis, cedar, cherry pipe tobacco, with hints of moss and mint. Really solid nose. Palate: Soft styled with cherries, perfumed florals, very integrated tannins, decent acid levels and a medium, elegant finish. Interesting that it is red fruited as the Howell Mountain offerings I've had were always dark fruited. While I would prefer to see more heft in the form of higher tannins and more pronounced fruit this is still a wine of superb breeding and is quite well made. The nose really makes this special. 92+ points.
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Blackberry, cassis and some pine or menthol. Very well structured wine and some firm mountain tannin. Time will be very kind to this wine. A wow wine for me.
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Wonderful notes of cassis, blackberry and some saddle leather. In the mouth, good structure, well balanced and notes on the nose carrying through on the palate. Still a baby, with plenty of room for improvement and the structure to get there. Really good wine.
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4/7/2024 - rjquillin Likes this wine:
First of five, thoroughly enjoyed a Howell Mountain done in a restrained manner and look forward to the remaining over the next 5+ years
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11/29/2021 - dream wrote: 91 Points
Not surprisingly, this is very Bordeaux in style with subdued dark fruits and a finely-etched texture. If you're a lover of the rich style of Napa Cab, I think you'll find it rather quiet but I kinda like that a wine of finesse and elegance like this can be made on Howell Mountain. Ready now but could grow more complex in time.
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3/13/2021 - tunaguy Likes this wine:
excellent with dark fruits, scorched earth, spices, and vanilla. restrained for napa. took about an hour of air to really get going. i think this is still on its way up for several years and will drink really well for a long time. great with some prime ribeyes
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6/16/2020 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pretty nose of cassis and black spices. Quite austere for a Napa Cab but very finely textured with a lean but silky mouthfeel. Delicious but subtle flavors of black currants and minerals which lead to a taut finish with notes of dark spices and smoky blackberries. I'm sure I would've guessed blind that this was Bordeaux which makes sense given the winemaker. Anyway, very few Napa Cabs are this elegant and refined.
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1/27/2020 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
Still 92 points. Has evolved well but drink up.
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10/31/2018 - Winepro7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hour decant.
Nose was muted but with aromas of cassis, black raspberry and a mild earthiness with cedar pine.
First mouthfeel reveals a strong structure, dark fruit with notes of blackberry and some leather. Well balanced and notes on the nose carry through to a moderate finish. Strong tannins, slightly granular. This wine is still very young and will likely improve greatly in the next 3-5 years. Still a wonderful experience at this stage. Really good wine.
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7/28/2018 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 92 Points
92+ 4 hour decant great nose good finish and nice flavors. Wotn for most at the party. Fairly priced for the quality. Fairly complex with a good mouthfeel. Deep purple
Lot of bell pepper.
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6/1/2018 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
1 hour decant (mag decanter). Nose: Fabulous aromas of cassis, cedar, cherry pipe tobacco, with hints of moss and mint. Really solid nose. Palate: Soft styled with cherries, perfumed florals, very integrated tannins, decent acid levels and a medium, elegant finish. Interesting that it is red fruited as the Howell Mountain offerings I've had were always dark fruited. While I would prefer to see more heft in the form of higher tannins and more pronounced fruit this is still a wine of superb breeding and is quite well made. The nose really makes this special. 92+ points.
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12/21/2017 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with my prior notes.
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10/17/2017 - scott w Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackberry, cassis and some pine or menthol. Very well structured wine and some firm mountain tannin. Time will be very kind to this wine. A wow wine for me.
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10/6/2017 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful notes of cassis, blackberry and some saddle leather. In the mouth, good structure, well balanced and notes on the nose carrying through on the palate. Still a baby, with plenty of room for improvement and the structure to get there. Really good wine.
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