1996 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Community Tasting Notes (102) Avg Score: 93.2 points

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  12/26/2023 - zanzabar Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Opened on Christmas, decanted about 2 hours. Beautiful aroma and finish but the mid palette had a strong bell pepper flavor that was slightly off putting at first. However this was far from over the hill. Great color, and body so I saved some for the next day.
  
  Day 2, the funky mid pallet greatly improved and this was signing. Great wine, very well made. In a stellar vintage this would be on a whole different level.
  
  Lucky to have plenty more stored away for years to come.

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  8/5/2023 - DoubleD1969 wrote:

  PnP. Color was youthful with an opaque maroon core that lightens at the edges. Nose wasn't effusive but I get subtle notes of leather, iron, and crushed cherries. Palate was velvety with fresh blackberries as in having a tang to the finish. A fellow diner commented that it had opened up a lot more at the end of the night.
  
  Drank along with the 2000 which I preferred on this evening.

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  6/26/2023 - RockinCabs wrote: 94 Points

  Another exceptional bottle of this Dunn HM.
  
  Unwinds beautifully over a few hours, and delivers graphite, blackberry, cassis and blueberry notes. Great leather, loam and tack room notes. The palate feel has nicely resolved tannin and silky texture today. Really this is a CA first growth through and through. It is elegant for Napa, and broad shouldered for Pauillac. A "best of both worlds" kind of wine.

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  6/24/2023 - Hawkeye_Addict Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Mimicking what the last couple of notes stated, this is drinking excellently right now. Still a ton of fruit and ample tannin to carry this for many more years. I love, love, love Dunn HM. This was out of a magnum and poured directly into glasses. No decanting. Although as the night went on, it got better and better. If you like a mix of fruit and tertiary flavors in your wine, this is perfect for you. Cheers!

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  4/26/2023 - RockinCabs wrote: 94 Points

  Nose: Deeply perfumed blueberry, blackberry, cassis and herbal eucalyptus and mountain pine notes. This is a beautiful nose at this stage.
  
  Palate: There is a density and elegance to the palate here that is classic Dunn. Packs a punch of dense cassis and tobacco with mineral, sage and eucalyptus notes. Complex turned earth and cedar in the mid-palate and the weight n the mouth is beautiful.
  
  Finish: Great CA blue and black mountain fruit with the turned earth and olive notes coming up.
  
  Great look at this in early maturity. For me 30 years is where Dunn HM really starts to shine and this is no exception. There is a long run ahead of this fine Dunn cabernet.

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