This being the Napa, its a mix of estate and if I recall, Coombsville fruit (Caldwell vineyard?). The Napa is an "earlier" drinker as the Howell Mountain designate typically needs more slumber time.
With about three hours in the decanter, this wine shines. Not a sharp edge to be found, nice youthfulness and some lingering tannins that add to the appeal.
To be candid, I have stopped buying Dunn in recent years, probably because I was drinking them waaay to early, but this vintage is just now entering the sweet spot.
Of this bottling alone, I will be reaching out to them to grab some more (and perhaps give the 16 and 18 a place in the collection).
94 with a bit of upside. Still has 5-10 years of great drinking ahead of it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Polished plush black currant and blackberry fruit. Tannin are ripe fine and grippy. So far so good but then comes the finish which is really tart and spoils the pleasure of the wine. Acidity is the last thing to soften and may never resolve. The acidity will ensure this wine lasts a long time - you could say it is built for the long-haul. Trouble is by the time the acidity has resolved the fruit will have dissolved. Aside from the acidity this is drinking well now, hopefully better in 10 to 15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine has come a long way in the past half year! Tons of tobacco, blackberry and leather on the nose. Great tension and balance in the mouth and long finish. Fantastic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opaque ruby. Hefty aroma of ripe blackberry and strawberry, herbaceous note, pungent spices, incense smoke, sage, beautifully integrated sweet toasty oak. Maturing leathery and tobacco notes too.
Full body at just 13.9%, soft tannins and cleansing acidity, it is actually quite approchable and elegant. I particularly like the mid palate concentration and the inner tension between ripe fruits, earthy minerality and integrated oak. Not sophiscated but utterly delicious!
A well made Cabernet Sauvignon at reasonable price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 5 hours. Wonderful nose of blackcurrant and raspberry with strong tobacco aromas coming through. A lot of tobacco (in a good way). Cedar. Nose jumps out of the glass. On the palate it's concentrated but not too full bodied / bold. Very fresh. Nice fruit and beautiful secondary / tertiary aromas coming forward. Great wine. Saved the last sip all night just to keep smelling the glass.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I hadn't tried this vintage in 2 years, so I was excited to check in and see how this wine was doing. Amazing bouquet of holiday spices, red and black fruits, and secondary cedar/oak notes. After about 30 minutes of decanting, I still pick up tar/black fruit on the palate as I did last time, but things are more integrated and the tar isn't quite so noticeable. Definitely a beguiling set of aromas leading to a very smooth mouthfeel. Lots of fun. Drinking nicely right now. I know, you're supposed to save Dunn wines for like 473 years or something, but honestly I am enjoying this wine a lot right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Open and you won’t be disappointed. Clearly many years left. 2014 was a great vintage and every producer’s wine seems to drink well early. Hope my remaining 2 bottles last but suspect they will have a short life.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I've never had the Dunn Napa so this was really fun to try. Opened, poured a couple BDX glasses and slow oxed for 4 hours. The color is indigo black with magenta edges. The nose has that signature Dunn cigar box aroma along with dark berries. The palate does a wonderful job of balancing CA deliciousness with structural lift and relative weightlessness. There's layers a plenty of elegant dark fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, herbs and spice. Alc is a reasonable 13.9% Dunn is a CA treasure and always a top 5 CA Cab producer in my book. I really enjoyed this and may source some more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: black fruit, cassis, spice, vanilla spice, currant, more old world styled. Intensity is huge but needs lots of time to open. Second day it hits you with concentrated blackberry jam, black cherry cobbler, mocha. Tannins are nice now full body, sweet spice, concentrated black fruit with clove and all spice integration. Fine but intense tannins. Long finish. Made for the medium to long haul. I'd recommend holding for another 3-5 years for it start blooming.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I thought this was good but overpriced for what you get. I have had about the same score for half the price. I am a fan of Dunn but this didn't wow me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this with the porterhouse at Wolfgang's in NYC. A marriage made in heaven. No reason to go on at length, this is a lovely, elegant Napa cabernet in the grand style. Decant for about an hour, then just enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice bottle of wine. Like many CT reviewers I also found the 2014 Dunn to be unusually approachable this early on. I’m fact the winery is suggesting drinking the 2014 ahead of the 2013. I decanted and then drank over an hour, noticing a substantial improvement halfway. Not as tannic as previous Dunn’s, definitely a more profound fruit profile, with dark berries, earth notes and a very pleasant hint of plum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dang, this is awesome right away. Gets better with 30 minutes of air time and then it just keeps evolving from there. Wonderful ripe berry bouquet and rich, juicy yet tannic and restrained mouthfeel. Love this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Couldn't resist opening another bottle since the first two were so approachable already! Needs time to open up, of course...menthol, earth, and reticent red fruit at first, but then after 15 minutes of air time things get really good. The nose is still rich in a good way, and the wine begins to smooth out and show some black fruit notes with secondary tar and fresh-baked bread elements too. I realize this sounds a little ridiculous but that's what I'm tasting. I swear.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quality wine, approachable now but is quite obviously young once you try it. Nice red fruit, tightly wound. Been in the decanter for two hours now and is noticeably better than when opened. QPR not the greatest, but hey, it’s Dunn, so you know it’s not swill... will improve over a few years at least. Fun to try while you wait on their Howell Mountain wine. Clearly more approachable at a young age.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprisingly approachable immediately, but it definitely hits highs and lows as it opens up over an afternoon and evening. Softer than past vintages, as the winery points out in their own tasting notes: blackberry, raspberry, and cassis mingle with medium oak and dusty tannins. Very nice, really enjoyable with different soft and medium-firm cheeses.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Napa Valley & Chalk Hill AVA winery visits - 5/30 & 5/31, 2018: Aromas of cassis, black olive, graphite, cedar, leather, florals- complex. Lush black fruit on the palate with densely layered minerals, dark spices, cedar and leather. Stately and graceful presence and density. Big fine tannins. Big finish. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1 hour decant. Deep garnet red. Nose and taste of plum, black cherry, blackberries, cedar, bell pepper and carnation. High acidity. Medium plus body. Likely better in another year or two. Reminds me of a little more refined version of Orin Swift Palermo with better integrated tannins. That said, not worth the $60 jump in price over Palermo. Nice wine, not so good QPR. I expect more at this price point. About 91.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting pour from machine. Dark red. Minerals, dark fruits, moderate tannins this is the most ready to drink Dunn I have tasted. Lots of cherry fruit. Moderate intensity, fresh and lively finish. Enough structure to age a decade or more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Coravin Sampled- Aromas are plush and young but show scents of cherry, cassis, cocoa, herbs, toasty oak and hints of floral. The palate is full, bold, and highly structured with firm tannins and acidity. Flavors show a mix of fruit; cherry, currant and plum with notes of herbs, cocoa powder, vanilla, sweet oak, spice and toast. Quite young but impressive. Cellar this beauty and be rewarded
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/3/2024 - Torchy wrote: flawed
Corked AF!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2022 - miltownman wrote:
It was just okay not worth the price opened up 3 hours before drinking
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2022 - Spsmatthews Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love this - lots of tobacco and cedar with red fruits and firm, but well integrated tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2022 - blarmston Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a nice wine, especially for the entry fee.
This being the Napa, its a mix of estate and if I recall, Coombsville fruit (Caldwell vineyard?). The Napa is an "earlier" drinker as the Howell Mountain designate typically needs more slumber time.
With about three hours in the decanter, this wine shines. Not a sharp edge to be found, nice youthfulness and some lingering tannins that add to the appeal.
To be candid, I have stopped buying Dunn in recent years, probably because I was drinking them waaay to early, but this vintage is just now entering the sweet spot.
Of this bottling alone, I will be reaching out to them to grab some more (and perhaps give the 16 and 18 a place in the collection).
94 with a bit of upside. Still has 5-10 years of great drinking ahead of it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2022 - awitz78 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark and earthy. Like the low alcohol level. Feels like it could go many more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2021 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Polished plush black currant and blackberry fruit. Tannin are ripe fine and grippy. So far so good but then comes the finish which is really tart and spoils the pleasure of the wine. Acidity is the last thing to soften and may never resolve. The acidity will ensure this wine lasts a long time - you could say it is built for the long-haul. Trouble is by the time the acidity has resolved the fruit will have dissolved. Aside from the acidity this is drinking well now, hopefully better in 10 to 15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2021 - MichaelMA wrote: 94 Points
Great depth and length. Drinking fantastically.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2021 - SpitzNV Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has come a long way in the past half year! Tons of tobacco, blackberry and leather on the nose. Great tension and balance in the mouth and long finish. Fantastic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2021 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opaque ruby. Hefty aroma of ripe blackberry and strawberry, herbaceous note, pungent spices, incense smoke, sage, beautifully integrated sweet toasty oak. Maturing leathery and tobacco notes too.
Full body at just 13.9%, soft tannins and cleansing acidity, it is actually quite approchable and elegant. I particularly like the mid palate concentration and the inner tension between ripe fruits, earthy minerality and integrated oak. Not sophiscated but utterly delicious!
A well made Cabernet Sauvignon at reasonable price.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2021 - Spsmatthews Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 5 hours. Wonderful nose of blackcurrant and raspberry with strong tobacco aromas coming through. A lot of tobacco (in a good way). Cedar. Nose jumps out of the glass. On the palate it's concentrated but not too full bodied / bold. Very fresh. Nice fruit and beautiful secondary / tertiary aromas coming forward. Great wine. Saved the last sip all night just to keep smelling the glass.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2020 - huevosconvino Likes this wine: 94 Points
I hadn't tried this vintage in 2 years, so I was excited to check in and see how this wine was doing. Amazing bouquet of holiday spices, red and black fruits, and secondary cedar/oak notes. After about 30 minutes of decanting, I still pick up tar/black fruit on the palate as I did last time, but things are more integrated and the tar isn't quite so noticeable. Definitely a beguiling set of aromas leading to a very smooth mouthfeel. Lots of fun. Drinking nicely right now. I know, you're supposed to save Dunn wines for like 473 years or something, but honestly I am enjoying this wine a lot right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2020 - ABECellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open and you won’t be disappointed. Clearly many years left. 2014 was a great vintage and every producer’s wine seems to drink well early. Hope my remaining 2 bottles last but suspect they will have a short life.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2020 - madalyn Likes this wine: 91 Points
oops, opened way to early.
Im sure it will be great after the appropriate cellaring
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2020 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
I've never had the Dunn Napa so this was really fun to try. Opened, poured a couple BDX glasses and slow oxed for 4 hours. The color is indigo black with magenta edges. The nose has that signature Dunn cigar box aroma along with dark berries. The palate does a wonderful job of balancing CA deliciousness with structural lift and relative weightlessness. There's layers a plenty of elegant dark fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, herbs and spice. Alc is a reasonable 13.9% Dunn is a CA treasure and always a top 5 CA Cab producer in my book. I really enjoyed this and may source some more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2020 - JidR Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose: black fruit, cassis, spice, vanilla spice, currant, more old world styled. Intensity is huge but needs lots of time to open. Second day it hits you with concentrated blackberry jam, black cherry cobbler, mocha. Tannins are nice now full body, sweet spice, concentrated black fruit with clove and all spice integration. Fine but intense tannins. Long finish. Made for the medium to long haul. I'd recommend holding for another 3-5 years for it start blooming.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2019 - zylmanj Likes this wine: 90 Points
I thought this was good but overpriced for what you get. I have had about the same score for half the price. I am a fan of Dunn but this didn't wow me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2019 - magyarsvensk Likes this wine:
Rich currant and berry fruit, fresh brewed coffee, mint leaves. Weighty mouthfeel with a long, bright finish that borders on being a bit too acidic.
Great Napa Valley terroir. Still needs some time to even out, I would say.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2019 - gjetson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had this with the porterhouse at Wolfgang's in NYC. A marriage made in heaven. No reason to go on at length, this is a lovely, elegant Napa cabernet in the grand style. Decant for about an hour, then just enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2019 - chatters wrote:
California Dreaming - New Californian arrivals 2019 (Prince Sydney, 40 Hansard Street): Pencil shavings, blackcurrant, spice, slightly jubey black hued fruit underpin, cedar, cream, caramel. Juicy, fleshy, pencil shavings and muted black fruit with plenty of drying, talc textured tannins, long. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2019 - TXRDW wrote: 93 Points
Very nice bottle of wine. Like many CT reviewers I also found the 2014 Dunn to be unusually approachable this early on. I’m fact the winery is suggesting drinking the 2014 ahead of the 2013. I decanted and then drank over an hour, noticing a substantial improvement halfway. Not as tannic as previous Dunn’s, definitely a more profound fruit profile, with dark berries, earth notes and a very pleasant hint of plum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2019 - huevosconvino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dang, this is awesome right away. Gets better with 30 minutes of air time and then it just keeps evolving from there. Wonderful ripe berry bouquet and rich, juicy yet tannic and restrained mouthfeel. Love this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2019 - Vineyard Boy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great with 24 hours of decanting!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2018 - huevosconvino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Couldn't resist opening another bottle since the first two were so approachable already! Needs time to open up, of course...menthol, earth, and reticent red fruit at first, but then after 15 minutes of air time things get really good. The nose is still rich in a good way, and the wine begins to smooth out and show some black fruit notes with secondary tar and fresh-baked bread elements too. I realize this sounds a little ridiculous but that's what I'm tasting. I swear.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2018 - CrocodileCab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quality wine, approachable now but is quite obviously young once you try it. Nice red fruit, tightly wound. Been in the decanter for two hours now and is noticeably better than when opened. QPR not the greatest, but hey, it’s Dunn, so you know it’s not swill... will improve over a few years at least. Fun to try while you wait on their Howell Mountain wine. Clearly more approachable at a young age.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2018 - huevosconvino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly approachable immediately, but it definitely hits highs and lows as it opens up over an afternoon and evening. Softer than past vintages, as the winery points out in their own tasting notes: blackberry, raspberry, and cassis mingle with medium oak and dusty tannins. Very nice, really enjoyable with different soft and medium-firm cheeses.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2018 - AAJR Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP'd & consumed at football tailgate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2018 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Knightsbridge Cabernet Tasting (Knightsbridge Wine Shoppe): Retailer tasting. Dark color. Dark fruit with a nice earthy edge. Balanced. fine tannins. Flavors of dark fruit and earth; lingering finish. Long and balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2018 - MattMauldin Likes this wine:
Napa Valley & Chalk Hill AVA winery visits - 5/30 & 5/31, 2018: Aromas of cassis, black olive, graphite, cedar, leather, florals- complex. Lush black fruit on the palate with densely layered minerals, dark spices, cedar and leather. Stately and graceful presence and density. Big fine tannins. Big finish. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2018 - RockyII Likes this wine: 91 Points
1 hour decant. Deep garnet red. Nose and taste of plum, black cherry, blackberries, cedar, bell pepper and carnation. High acidity. Medium plus body. Likely better in another year or two. Reminds me of a little more refined version of Orin Swift Palermo with better integrated tannins. That said, not worth the $60 jump in price over Palermo. Nice wine, not so good QPR. I expect more at this price point. About 91.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2018 - Bucket Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really nice bottle. Lots of cherry. Decent tannins. This will get better with time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2018 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasting pour from machine.
Dark red. Minerals, dark fruits, moderate tannins this is the most ready to drink Dunn I have tasted. Lots of cherry fruit. Moderate intensity, fresh and lively finish. Enough structure to age a decade or more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2018 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
The most approachable Dunn in the history of Dunn. Still good stuff. Less a tannic monster. Fruit is still there. Nice nose. Needs time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2018 - bjamesclark wrote: 92 Points
Coravin Sampled-
Aromas are plush and young but show scents of cherry, cassis, cocoa, herbs, toasty oak and hints of floral.
The palate is full, bold, and highly structured with firm tannins and acidity. Flavors show a mix of fruit; cherry, currant and plum with notes of herbs, cocoa powder, vanilla, sweet oak, spice and toast. Quite young but impressive. Cellar this beauty and be rewarded
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Tightly wound and tannic, the wine is full bodied and on the bright, crisp, crunchy side, with an earthy, dark, red berry character.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment