14.5% ABV. Still dark in color, the 2006 Obsidian gives off aromas of plum, cassis, licorice, leather, cedar and flowers. There is good density in the mouth, along with black cherries, chocolate, pine needles and very fine, dusty tannins that linger long after the wine is swallowed. This has finally emerged from a long, sullen period, and is now squarely in its drinking window, with tertiary nuances readily apparent. There is enough substance here to suggest another decade or so of development, but the wine is drinking very well now, so why wait? 94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is drinking great here. Big juice, black berries and cassis. Terroir is black stone and pencil shavings with some herbaceous oils that linger. I find the secondary nuances nicely balanced at this age; there is forest floor and some truffle mixed in the early palate and lingering through finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big and brooding, with cassis and black cherry notes. The fruit has faded a bit from my last tasting, and the tannins on the finish remain formidable. I wish I'd consumed this, my last bottle, a year or two ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was in a bit of a dumb phase last year when we had it, but seems to be coming out of it. Opened, decanted, and poured so it didn't have a lot of time to get itself together, but did notice a nice evolution through the meal. It felt a bit too young and could maybe have handled a few more years, but drinking well now. Good fruit. Good earthy characteristics. And ingratiated us to our server who appreciated a wine named after a term from the Hobbit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Man, this was disappointing. Back in 2009 it was a rockstar wine. It is now thin, having lost its unctuous palate. It is smooth, vanilla, but light. The brute is now a wimp. Shocking. Not terrible, just such an unfortunate turn of events. 1/13 update. Had another one. Much better. Not the brute it was years ago, but not quite as thin as the one from two weeks ago.
This 2006 Howell Mountain wine is pretty good. Upon opening very acidic and tight, however after given some air, this red begins to exhibit some real character. A definite smoothness and integration on the palate. Bright, lush red berry and some dark fruit incorporation, polished, good structure and elegant. If this was a heaver wine (which is my preference) it would merit a higher score, non the less, it a very good wine. I must say, 2006 wines are showing very well at this time. 90.7 points.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Winorama with a surprise (engagement)!; 9/15/2013-9/18/2013 (Napa Valley California): Afraid I couldn't disagree more with the note right before mine. This wine was just a 'wow'. It had strawberries and chocolate and was oh so smooth and deep. Continued to open up during the tasting. Absolutely drinking well now, but I suspect it can continue to go and look forward to trying our bottle in another five years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brooding black cherry fruits. Ripe cassis and nice baking spice notes. Big, but balanced, this has a nice tannic structure that will age nicely over the next several years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, raspberry and coffee. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant, chocolate and cedar with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - Similar note to previous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
San Antonio Wine Geeks - Double Blind Cali Cabs (Home of Steve T.): Served double blind - This was young and full throttle, still showing a harsh oak treatment on the palate and finish that covered the quite ripe red fruit. Long vanilla cream finish. While the fruit was big enough with the heavy oak, seemed disjointed and overdone in this lineup. Revisit in 5yrs unless you aren’t shy of oak. The Continuum was much more polished and balanced. 87-89
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Give it a good 1-2 hour minimum decant and it gives off a nice, dark fruit aroma. The on the palate, it is really well integrated and smooth with lots of big, dark brooding fruits and some spice and oak on the long finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3 hour decant. Rich blue and red fruits, vanilla with a nice light floral note I couldn't figure out but was wonderful. This was a wonderfully balanced wine that was more elegant than over the top. Tannins were present but again seemed very well in balance. It just felt like the wine slide over the palate in a very smooth/ silky way while letting you know it was there. The flavors seem to be at the peak on my last glass and it left me wanting another sip. The finish lasted a good 45 seconds.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Disappointed. A nice wine but fails to go to that next level. Left me wanting on the front end, full bodied with old world spice and oak jumping out. The aftertaste was the one aspect of the wine that didn't disappoint. It holds for a good 30 secs or more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bottle much better than the first. Probably had more time to settle from being shipped. Tannins were nice for a 4 year old bottle of wine. I would highly recommend someone trying this winery.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have read the great reviews here and wanted to taste for myself. There were 3 tasters including myself on this wine this evening. We all agreed this is a good, well made wine. The tannins were evident but not too overbearing. The initial nose on opening the bottle was very spicy and peppery. After a brief decanting and pouring into my glass, I swirled the wine aggressively and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes. I then sniffed the glass smelling a caramel butterscotch mixed with vanilla and lavender that was awesome. The taste was the lacking part. We agreed there was the making of something incredible but it wasn't quite there yet. I will definitely put my remaining bottles down for a few more years. Not a bad first vintage at all!!! Can't wait for the '07's
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
For a Howell Mountain Cab, this sure is approachable. The tannins are there, but they don't outmuscle the fruit. This wine has great balance, and will continue to improve for years. Cant wait to get my hands on the 07's!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have tried a lot of the cult wannabe wines. Futo, Seven Stones, Dancing Hares, etc. This is the real thing. Dark nearly black. soaring nose. And most notably a palate that is full of fruit but not overly sweet. Classic cab hitting on all cylinders.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark purple/red in color with a nose of ripe red fruits, vanilla and cedar. This was popped and poured and consumed over about an hour. Flavors of extremely rich plum (on the good side of plum) unfolding into a mix of cassis and blueberry. Secondary flavors of cedar, buttery vanilla with a surprising balance. Balance - this is the word that keeps popping up in my head. The four of us tasters were stunned that a 2006 Howell Mountain cab was so approachable now. The finish seems to go on for days with a little tannic grip that reminds you of the power of this wine. I would compare the richness of this wine to Schrader, Harlan and Colgin and certainly much better than Ovid, Realm, Maybach and possibly Futo. Wow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
There have been a number of high profile Cabernet startups in Napa in the last couple of years. Seven Stones, Ovid, Futo...but I think this might be the winner of the bunch. What a terrific, well-made mountain cab. It's a big wine, there is oak for sure, but it seems nicely balanced by the rich red fruit flavors. I know its hard to convey, but this wine is more sophisticated than most US Cabs, this is a bouquet of flowers, not a sledgehammer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/18/2021 - cavedivr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fruit still present. Tannins fully resolved. Nice wine, but... probably better 4-5 years ago. Needs more oomph.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2021 - Mneumeier wrote: 92 Points
Drinking awesome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2020 - J o e wrote: 94 Points
14.5% ABV. Still dark in color, the 2006 Obsidian gives off aromas of plum, cassis, licorice, leather, cedar and flowers. There is good density in the mouth, along with black cherries, chocolate, pine needles and very fine, dusty tannins that linger long after the wine is swallowed. This has finally emerged from a long, sullen period, and is now squarely in its drinking window, with tertiary nuances readily apparent. There is enough substance here to suggest another decade or so of development, but the wine is drinking very well now, so why wait? 94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2017 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark and rich with blackberry, tobacco and integrated tanins leading to a long rich finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2017 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is drinking great here. Big juice, black berries and cassis. Terroir is black stone and pencil shavings with some herbaceous oils that linger. I find the secondary nuances nicely balanced at this age; there is forest floor and some truffle mixed in the early palate and lingering through finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2017 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 90 Points
Big and brooding, with cassis and black cherry notes. The fruit has faded a bit from my last tasting, and the tannins on the finish remain formidable. I wish I'd consumed this, my last bottle, a year or two ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2017 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich dark fruit with currant, tar and smooth finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2015 - rwstorer wrote: 91 Points
Wow- what happened to this wine? Very thin and linear. Just a phase?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
This was in a bit of a dumb phase last year when we had it, but seems to be coming out of it. Opened, decanted, and poured so it didn't have a lot of time to get itself together, but did notice a nice evolution through the meal. It felt a bit too young and could maybe have handled a few more years, but drinking well now. Good fruit. Good earthy characteristics. And ingratiated us to our server who appreciated a wine named after a term from the Hobbit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2014 - jaylew1 wrote: 89 Points
Man, this was disappointing. Back in 2009 it was a rockstar wine. It is now thin, having lost its unctuous palate. It is smooth, vanilla, but light. The brute is now a wimp. Shocking. Not terrible, just such an unfortunate turn of events. 1/13 update. Had another one. Much better. Not the brute it was years ago, but not quite as thin as the one from two weeks ago.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/1/2014 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 91 Points
This 2006 Howell Mountain wine is pretty good. Upon opening very acidic and tight, however after given some air, this red begins to exhibit some real character. A definite smoothness and integration on the palate. Bright, lush red berry and some dark fruit incorporation, polished, good structure and elegant. If this was a heaver wine (which is my preference) it would merit a higher score, non the less, it a very good wine. I must say, 2006 wines are showing very well at this time. 90.7 points.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2013 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 95 Points
Winorama with a surprise (engagement)!; 9/15/2013-9/18/2013 (Napa Valley California): Afraid I couldn't disagree more with the note right before mine. This wine was just a 'wow'. It had strawberries and chocolate and was oh so smooth and deep. Continued to open up during the tasting. Absolutely drinking well now, but I suspect it can continue to go and look forward to trying our bottle in another five years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/26/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 85 Points
Medium bodied, slight past its peak level of drinking, the wine is more about red berries than dark fruit in the short finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2012 - stbraunt wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding wine - very smooth, really tasty, very deep taste. Wish we could drink this every night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2012 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Brooding black cherry fruits. Ripe cassis and nice baking spice notes. Big, but balanced, this has a nice tannic structure that will age nicely over the next several years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2012 - winelover1 wrote: 92 Points
Really nice and lush after a short decant. Some spice and just the right amount of oak used. Very smooth on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2012 - rwstorer wrote: 96 Points
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, raspberry and coffee. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant, chocolate and cedar with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - Similar note to previous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 89 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks - Double Blind Cali Cabs (Home of Steve T.): Served double blind - This was young and full throttle, still showing a harsh oak treatment on the palate and finish that covered the quite ripe red fruit. Long vanilla cream finish. While the fruit was big enough with the heavy oak, seemed disjointed and overdone in this lineup. Revisit in 5yrs unless you aren’t shy of oak. The Continuum was much more polished and balanced. 87-89
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2011 - JJB007 wrote: 96 Points
we like this wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2011 - Acohen wrote: 93 Points
Give it a good 1-2 hour minimum decant and it gives off a nice, dark fruit aroma. The on the palate, it is really well integrated and smooth with lots of big, dark brooding fruits and some spice and oak on the long finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2011 - lsnider wrote: 94 Points
3 hour decant.
Rich blue and red fruits, vanilla with a nice light floral note I couldn't figure out but was wonderful. This was a wonderfully balanced wine that was more elegant than over the top. Tannins were present but again seemed very well in balance. It just felt like the wine slide over the palate in a very smooth/ silky way while letting you know it was there. The flavors seem to be at the peak on my last glass and it left me wanting another sip. The finish lasted a good 45 seconds.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2010 - jaxpaj wrote: 92 Points
Disappointed. A nice wine but fails to go to that next level. Left me wanting on the front end, full bodied with old world spice and oak jumping out. The aftertaste was the one aspect of the wine that didn't disappoint. It holds for a good 30 secs or more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2010 - JJB007 wrote: 98 Points
good wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2010 - JJB007 wrote: 84 Points
really needs to breathe
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2010 - JJB007 wrote: 99 Points
wonderful, this a wnderful cab- it is soft pepperry, oky and berryish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2010 - bhalljr wrote: 93 Points
Bottle much better than the first. Probably had more time to settle from being shipped. Tannins were nice for a 4 year old bottle of wine. I would highly recommend someone trying this winery.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2010 - bhalljr wrote: 93 Points
I have read the great reviews here and wanted to taste for myself. There were 3 tasters including myself on this wine this evening. We all agreed this is a good, well made wine. The tannins were evident but not too overbearing. The initial nose on opening the bottle was very spicy and peppery. After a brief decanting and pouring into my glass, I swirled the wine aggressively and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes. I then sniffed the glass smelling a caramel butterscotch mixed with vanilla and lavender that was awesome. The taste was the lacking part. We agreed there was the making of something incredible but it wasn't quite there yet. I will definitely put my remaining bottles down for a few more years. Not a bad first vintage at all!!! Can't wait for the '07's
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2010 - bleedvino wrote: 97 Points
For a Howell Mountain Cab, this sure is approachable. The tannins are there, but they don't outmuscle the fruit. This wine has great balance, and will continue to improve for years. Cant wait to get my hands on the 07's!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2009 - Mike V wrote: 94 Points
I have tried a lot of the cult wannabe wines. Futo, Seven Stones, Dancing Hares, etc. This is the real thing. Dark nearly black. soaring nose. And most notably a palate that is full of fruit but not overly sweet. Classic cab hitting on all cylinders.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2009 - rwstorer wrote: 97 Points
Dark purple/red in color with a nose of ripe red fruits, vanilla and cedar. This was popped and poured and consumed over about an hour. Flavors of extremely rich plum (on the good side of plum) unfolding into a mix of cassis and blueberry. Secondary flavors of cedar, buttery vanilla with a surprising balance. Balance - this is the word that keeps popping up in my head. The four of us tasters were stunned that a 2006 Howell Mountain cab was so approachable now. The finish seems to go on for days with a little tannic grip that reminds you of the power of this wine. I would compare the richness of this wine to Schrader, Harlan and Colgin and certainly much better than Ovid, Realm, Maybach and possibly Futo. Wow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2009 - jaylew1 wrote: 95 Points
There have been a number of high profile Cabernet startups in Napa in the last couple of years. Seven Stones, Ovid, Futo...but I think this might be the winner of the bunch. What a terrific, well-made mountain cab. It's a big wine, there is oak for sure, but it seems nicely balanced by the rich red fruit flavors. I know its hard to convey, but this wine is more sophisticated than most US Cabs, this is a bouquet of flowers, not a sledgehammer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment