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Red

2002 Ilona Howell Mountain

Red Bordeaux Blend

  • USA
  • California
  • Napa Valley
  • Howell Mountain

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Community Tasting Note

  • HODL Likes this wine: 88 points

    April 15, 2023 - Garnet w a very tiny hint of purple
    Coravined a glass, and let it sit covered over night.
    As it was when I opened it, and the next morning, I get a strong aroma of pasta and pepper?…(the Cab franc in there?)
    There’s also hints of oregano and spice
    Not much fruit on the nose, however, fruit characteristics of dried cherries and over ripe blackberry & slight prune on the palate.
    Tannins still strong, but well integrated
    Med acid
    Lots of sediment
    Idk if I’d age this any longer
    Except for maybe Dunn, I’m starting to think 20 years is the limit on Howell mountain (and the optimal time being 16-20 yrs) every time I drink a Howell mountain wine over 20, the extracted, high alcohol, old/dried fruit characteristics dominate, and there’s not a lot of nuance.
    At 20 years, I don’t think Howell mtn offers what the west side Napa mountains offer for the wine experience.
    Wines w such high abvs (as in most on Howell) turn really port like w extended age, where on mt veeder, spring mtn, and Diamond mtn, secondary and tertiary characteristics are more evident and noticeable.
    The Ilona was interesting, but still extracted port like flavor

    It’s that late day hot Sun exposure, baking pie into the wines from Howell, and even atlas peak

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