Two hour decant and it was absolutely stunning. Velvet tannins but still has a backbone, perfectly integrated, beautiful nose, in it's prime. Will go like this for another five years. 50+5+13+18+8
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Gave this bottle a shake decant and back under cork for an hour. At that point, the nose was nothing but coffee and the palate was significantly muted. After another hour (and having several other bottles open), this opened up slightly with some earthy and red fruit notes. Nowhere near my prior bottles, this was just okay and likely suffered from the competition. Even food couldn’t save this one. Off bottle, off day, just did not meet expectations.
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The people at Dunn said this was drinking well now and they weren’t fooling. Dark cherry and cassis with fully integrated tannins, tasted mature but vibrant - seems like the right time to drink this.
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The 2016 declined, rightly so, infanticide, and G. send for this - and how it performed. There is a cool, iron core here, really intense wine - and so young. True, blue, cool fruit, real mountain wine. Showing extremely young, and while great now, hold; stand back, more to come. #Lolli
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As is the case in other winegrowing regions, great properties or winemakers show their class in "off" vintages. Such was the case with this Dunn Howell. A beautiful experience with pure Cab. fruit accented properly by oak and mature flavors. This got better and better as it sat in the glass, having been slow-oxed for a few hours before serving. A pure pleasure with a roasted beef tenderloin.
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One hr double decant and ready to go. Intoxicating Howell Mountain nose, blackberry, evergreen mountain forest, forest floor, dark dried cherry. Oak has integrated, and still enough tannic backbone to carry the lovely palate all the way along.
Dunn is consistently great year on year and the ‘11 was no different, so much for an allegedly ‘off’ vintage. Still plenty of life left. Paired with Christmas dinner of rib roast and tenderloin, one upped a ‘14 MacD by a nose.
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Leaning a bit Old World with its cool pyrazine notes, this is in a nice window at the moment. Obviously made from mountain fruit, but the tannins are approachable rather than formidable at this stage. Outstanding stuff.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of thatch, lavender, black pepper and currants. Flavors of black raspberries, plums and black cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink with air or hold.
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This is my kind of Napa Cabernet! Lots of dark berries, rocky minerals, tobacco and spices on the nose, generous palate with a nice freshness giving good left nice long finish too
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Despite being a terrible vintage overall in Napa, Randy Dunn managed to make a beautiful wine with those 2011 grapes. Floral notes on the nose and nutty, raspberry flavors. Short but delightful finish
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1,000% agree with other tasting notes, this was really lighter in body and thinner than I expected. Clearly a fine wine but I expected more even from a 2011 vintage. Paired with a nice zabutan steak, obviously drank well but just didn't have that body & depth. Have one more bottle.
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Agrees with others about it being a lighter style - more Sonoma than Napa. Was expecting a bit more but thought it showed better later in the evening without food (grilled ribeye).
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From magnum. This was lovely, graceful, elegant, predominantly secondary, kirsch, roses, Turkish delight, pencil shavings, black olive tapenade, soy, hoisin, beef stock, very Bordeauxesque, verging on Burgundian with bright acidity and unobtrusive structure.
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Some brett here - and I love it. Not "Davis-clean", I respect it for that, a wine with character with a sound fruit behind. Approachable, but still young. A cool year and I like it. #zoom#MikeDunn
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Tasted blind. Dark ruby color turning crimson at the rim with a transparent edge. Sublime flavors of dark berries, with a meaty character over medium acidity. Secondary notes of cola and vanilla on toasted oak that resonates over the long, smooth finish. Drink now until 2031.
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Amazing. Everyone's comments on 1-2 hr decant was perfect. Out the bottle, heavy herbal notes. After two hours, plenty of fruit with a balance of herbal and mineral notes.
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Clearly the most forward vintage of Dunn Howell I have ever tasted. Approachable, with a creme de cassis, thyme, smoke and cherry character, the wine is medium/full-bodied, soft, round and with an hour or so of decanting, ready to go.
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I think there is likely bottle-variation in this vintage. I'd say this was the least composed Dunn I've drunk. Not bad but not as fruit forward or balanced as the normal Dunn. I would say not as put-together as I'm used to.
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For a Dunn standard, it is quite elegant and integrated. The Nose takes quite some air but then shows red berries, sweet cherries and sour cherries together with mocha. Later also leather. Full mouthfeeling with elegance. And there are the typical Dunn notes of wet incense wood. Good round finish with light accidity.
Decanted for 40min but the wine took almost 2hrs to show its full strength. An already ready Dunn and it will coutinue to cruise for another 5-8years. (Don‘t forget to decant for min 2hrs) 94+p.
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First experience with this wine, but it presents like it’s at a transitional point where the elements are rapidly coming together and it’s about to take off. Very good, defying preconceived notions about the vintage.
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There is some mild bottle variation with this vintage, at least based on my multiples tastings over the last 3+ years. This bottle tasted exceptionally well though. I'm generally more disappointed than impressed with Napa Cabs these days, but Dunn's Howell Mountain Cab remains reliable and impressive. Terrific depth and lively mountain minerality, with much red berry notes that are balanced and fairly elegant. Kept evolving over several hours of decanting, got to a relative steady state after 2 hours. 94-96 pts.
Fantastic. Decanted for two hours and served with lamb chops. Much more accessible than I expected. Nose was fantastic, lots of dark fruit, shoe leather. Long finish.
I have every Dunn Howell Mtn from 2009 to 2015. All have been very good and some epic. However, this wine was the most disappointing bottle I have ever opened. Not bad exactly, just blah. Smooth but not firm, no flavor, no anything. Dark in the glass like all Randy's cabs, no signs of deterioration. Maybe just shut down right now. I will open another soon just to see. If its the same, I will wait a year to see anything changes.
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Napa 2019; 7/14/2019-7/18/2019: Tasting at Dunn. Put your everyday Dunn Howell note here. Red fruit and earthy forest floor. The 2011 is no drop off from any other vintage. The 2011 seems to be heading into the drinking zone earlier than other vintages. Showed better than the 2012 but the differences seems only age related.
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Dunn Howell doesn't disappoint across vintages and across bottles (within a vintage), and I have much respect for that. Good structure, distinct minerality, and layers of flavors (without excessive ripeness) that all come to life after some decanting. That said, after 2+ hours of tasting and decanting, it started to taste tired and low on energy. Great wine, but I wouldn't attempt to hold it past 2022, at least not without checking in once or twice prior to that.
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Nothing above 14% released at Dunn. They’ll add H20 as needed. Nuanced mineral focus, really seems to be toe’ing the line with green pepperiness, but falls just on the mineral side of that. Really fresh, but the color is starting to show some browning to the rim. Finish is pretty wild. Very very engaging.
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Dark fruit with cherry notes are primary with a touch of lingering acidity. Tannins are present but softened and integrated. Mountain fruit was somewhat subdued, not sure if this was a result of the 2011 vintage or being more familiar with Spring Mountain fruit. Some would certainly enjoy but not my flavor profile.
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Red fruit nose with menthol. On the palate adds a touch of animal hide and tobacco and Howell Mtn spice. Approachable already with (plentiful) polished tannin, but I wouldn't call it facile or open knit. Plenty time left, but ephemeral and pleasurable now. Frankly delicious.
The lightest touch of the three vintages ('11, '12, '14) tasted side by side.
Very good Cabernet in an otherwise mediocre year for Napa. Decanted for 2 hours and it was good, but the wine was even better on Day 2 with more flavors present.
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1.5 hour decant, then 1.5 back in bottle. Ruby nearly opaque core, red berry, plum, spices...clove, eucalyptus, hints of cinnamon...pick up some bell pepper nose in this bottle. Pallet of red fruit, particularly black cherry and some smoky notes, well balanced, medium tannin. Good finish...Great..93-94
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Good with food. Decanted 2 hours and initially it seemed a bit thin on the mid palate. However, when paired with a steak, it did beautifully! Great nose of graphite and bell pepper. Focused on the palate. Without food, the acid overpowers, but it is perfect with food!!
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Based on reccoemdations I gave this a 3 hour decant. Deep ruby, nearly opaque core, black fruit..berry, hint of plum, spices...clove, eucalyptus, hints of cinnamon...while I've had previous bottles have a hint of bell pepper mentioned in previous posts, I don't pick it up now..picking up brighter red fruit on pallet, particularly cherry, and some smoky notes, along with the cherry comes some brighter, but balanced, acidity and medium tannin (not surprising for Dunn). Good finish...very good..92
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I had a 2011 HM a couple years ago (I know, it was too early, but it was at a business dinner and my director picked it out), and enjoyed that bottle immensely more than this one.
Perhaps a bad bottle, but this was just 'off'. On the nose, it had that green bell pepper smell, not a good sign. The wine was just flat to me, no body at all, no tannins present.
Just an unremarkable bottle. Lets hope I just got a bad batch...
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Somehow I enjoyed this Dunn Howell less than I did on two separate occasions in 2015: it is still a very much elegant take on powerful mountain fruit but throughout several hours of decanting it tasted too thin at times. I will hold off touching the rest for several years.
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Deep mix of garnet and ruby red. Layered nose with a slightly woody attack and red cherries. Undertones coated in damp leaves, gravel and even some softer dark fruits like plums. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and balanced. Great acidity with a silky texture. Layered with tons of red mountain berries, dark gravel and a touch perfumey. Big full bodied wine with a lingering finish. Drink till 2036.
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Solid wine. I'm not a fan of 2011 napa cabs, but this Howell mtn drinks very well. Lots of fruit, good balance. Already a good drinker, should be better in a few years
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Note after 90 minutes in decanter. Dust and forest floor on the nose. Mouthfeel begins light but builds on the finish. Nice structure - very well balanced and not over the top at all. This will age well but is one of the more accessible young Dunn's I have had. They really did well in this vintage - perhaps my favorite 2011 cab to date.
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Very dark almost black in color. On the nose right now it's still very tight a bit of blackberries but no secondary scents yet. On the palate great structure and the tannins are already not too bad. Fruit is still integrating with hints of blackberry and violets. Smooth long finish.
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Prune, ash, and camphor on the nose. On the palate, red fruit with notes of blackberry, ash, and sharp black pepper and savory spice, with moderate tannins on the medium finish and moderate acidity. This was noticeably more evolved than a bottle drunk several months ago, and it's definitely drinkable now without decanting; I'm not sure how much it will improve from here, although there is probably some upside still to come. This was a fairly good value at about $70.
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I was introduced to Dunn, specifically the Howell Mountain Cab, at Dio Deka, a Michelin star restaurant. I was immediately wow'd and felt that I was introduced to one of Napa's legends. The Howell mountain area is one of those fabled lands that seems to defy all odds, this 2011 being a prime example due to the particularly difficult growing conditions in that year. Randy Dunn seems to be immune to these and demonstrates the versatility of his wine making technique. One of my favorites, without question.
Wine had frontal fruit, and medium body. Was light finish with a lack of tannins. This was a fruit bomb, but did not have the structure to maintain the flavors in the mouth.
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Very early to drink these. I find the Howell Mountain offerings to have a cool profile dominated by blue fruits, minerality, and some metallic notes. This 2011 offering was warmer and "redder" than I expected. Very good juice, but I was less excited than I am with the 2009 and 2010 offerings.
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Ripe earthy Blackberry with a little wet dirt, ferns, bark, and vanilla extract on it; hint of bell pepper too; mouth is fairly creamy, plush, but not big with lower tannins but good lift. Tangy blackberry finish. Excellent if not as built as previous vintages.
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Potential cellar sleeper. Way too early to judge where this wine will be a decade+ from today. Extremely high acidity, obvious even to the nose. Lighter bodied than typical Dunn Howell Mountain (might be a detracting attribute). Long hot finish (from the acid). Scotch like complexity hiding underneath the acid. Some have called this a fruit bomb. No way can be it be described as such, at least my bottle. Will revisit remaining bottles in the coming decades. Rating 93+ on where it could develop.
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I remain impressed with how accessible the wine is, especially after several hours of decanting. Purity of fruit and nearly seamless integration of (still young) tannins are noteworthy. Has a long life ahead.
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Menthol and prune on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, boysenberry, plum, and menthol, with notes of ash and mint on the medium finish, with light tannins and moderate acidity. This is very good considering the vintage, but as of now the value for money is only average; it should improve some with age.
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This is a Dunn Howell Mountain? This was my first Dunn in 10+ years and I was amazed that it was actually approachable at such a young age. (Sorry for the micro-aggression, old habits die hard. Is writing tasting notes man-splaining? Well, sorry for that too.) For once the fruit balances the tannins so that you can take a sip without reaching for an aquafer--which can be a bit problematic in California these days. Maybe El Nino will help you out. Anyway, lovely red fruit, tart cherry but from Turkey not Michigan, backed by slightly under ripe blackberries with a twist of anise, plus a few molecules of black cardamom. All the Dunns have miles to go but this one seems to have taken the road less traveled and may give pleasure both now and for many years to come.
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Megamoon Part I: Napa; 10/13/2015-10/16/2015 (Napa Valley California): Dunn might be one of the only producers who seemed to not just make an ok wine in 2011 given all of the conditions but to actually make something which could be pretty spectacular. It's a lot more old world in style, less fruit, more floral, but just elegant in a way that I haven't seen in any other wine from that vintage. Mild black pepper which lends just the right spice. I'm pretty excited about this wine (in 15-20 years).
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Sweet and tart, bright, crisp and crunchy dark red fruits with tannins that need time to develop. At least at the time of the tasting, the wine was more interesting on its earthy nose, than on the palate. With Howell Mountain fruit and Randy Dunn, time will tell.
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California New Wave & Old Guard Tasting: Wow, my first experience with Dunn and far and away the best wine of the night. This offered very pretty aromas and painted the most complete picture of the night, showing grace and elegance. Some real depth on the nose. Very rich and smooth immediately in the mouth, showing some very pretty texture, beautifully integrated tannins which don't at all get in the way of the elegant boxy. Pure tart fruit is felt throughout. Really impressive texture and flavor depth is a wonderfully balanced experience. Very pretty on the long, elegant finish. Tart and puckering. This wine's a real beauty. I'm glad to have been introduced to Dunn tonight!
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Decently structured, some fruit up front, with a spicy bouquet. However, a hint of something unpleasant is present, such as sweet cinnamon. I allowed this to breath over several hours, and until the next day, but by the time the unpleasantness is gone, the structure is gone as well.
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Immediately accessible upon opening. Remarkable purity of fruit, especially for such a young cab. Tannins are silky but clearly abundant. Lots of fresh currant on the palate. Long finish. After 3+ hours got even more accessible but not by much; has plenty of life ahead.
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Decanted for about 1.5hrs. I was skeptical while reading that this is approachable so early, but it turned out to be true. Wonderful aromatics, with great complexity and a firm but excellent finish. This can clearly last for another 10+ years, but it is drinking well now. One of the best 11' wines I've had. Light compared to other vintages, but elegant and extremely well made. The mountain wines definitely fared the best in 2011.
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A private lunch (Restaurant The Village Pub *, Woodside, California, USA): Rich colour, layered, bright soft fruit, complex top notes, ripe but fresh, intense yet very elegant for its weight, certainly not a bruiser, playful rather, in the Napa context this is power without weight, very accessible but with the structure for 10-15 years.
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Representative of the newer style of Dunn Howell mountain, more approachable upon release but still very capable of aging well for many years. Really very nice upon opening with the telltale candle wax bouquet. Very well focused fruit with caramel overtones, balanced tannins with an impressively long finish. Improved with an hour and a half of decanting as is the case with most Dunn wines.
5/4/2024 - Bigdong wrote: 96 Points
Aged beautifully
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11/5/2023 - annerk wrote: 94 Points
Two hour decant and it was absolutely stunning. Velvet tannins but still has a backbone, perfectly integrated, beautiful nose, in it's prime. Will go like this for another five years. 50+5+13+18+8
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9/24/2023 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 90 Points
Gave this bottle a shake decant and back under cork for an hour. At that point, the nose was nothing but coffee and the palate was significantly muted. After another hour (and having several other bottles open), this opened up slightly with some earthy and red fruit notes. Nowhere near my prior bottles, this was just okay and likely suffered from the competition. Even food couldn’t save this one. Off bottle, off day, just did not meet expectations.
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5/23/2023 - mreinitz wrote: 94 Points
The people at Dunn said this was drinking well now and they weren’t fooling. Dark cherry and cassis with fully integrated tannins, tasted mature but vibrant - seems like the right time to drink this.
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4/29/2023 - Rond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruit on the nose, with cinnamon, and green pepper. Good acidity and soft tannins. Still fruity and fresh.
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1/28/2023 - beatles wrote: 96 Points
The 2016 declined, rightly so, infanticide, and G. send for this - and how it performed. There is a cool, iron core here, really intense wine - and so young. True, blue, cool fruit, real mountain wine. Showing extremely young, and while great now, hold; stand back, more to come.
#Lolli
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12/31/2022 - Trickyone Likes this wine:
As is the case in other winegrowing regions, great properties or winemakers show their class in "off" vintages. Such was the case with this Dunn Howell. A beautiful experience with pure Cab. fruit accented properly by oak and mature flavors. This got better and better as it sat in the glass, having been slow-oxed for a few hours before serving. A pure pleasure with a roasted beef tenderloin.
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12/26/2022 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 95 Points
One hr double decant and ready to go. Intoxicating Howell Mountain nose, blackberry, evergreen mountain forest, forest floor, dark dried cherry. Oak has integrated, and still enough tannic backbone to carry the lovely palate all the way along.
Dunn is consistently great year on year and the ‘11 was no different, so much for an allegedly ‘off’ vintage. Still plenty of life left. Paired with Christmas dinner of rib roast and tenderloin, one upped a ‘14 MacD by a nose.
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12/25/2022 - EMTAME wrote: 95 Points
Leaning a bit Old World with its cool pyrazine notes, this is in a nice window at the moment. Obviously made from mountain fruit, but the tannins are approachable rather than formidable at this stage. Outstanding stuff.
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4/14/2022 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of thatch, lavender, black pepper and currants. Flavors of black raspberries, plums and black cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink with air or hold.
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2/19/2022 - eoinhharkins wrote: 94 Points
This is my kind of Napa Cabernet! Lots of dark berries, rocky minerals, tobacco and spices on the nose, generous palate with a nice freshness giving good left nice long finish too
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2/13/2022 - JR_Boston wrote: 92 Points
Despite being a terrible vintage overall in Napa, Randy Dunn managed to make a beautiful wine with those 2011 grapes. Floral notes on the nose and nutty, raspberry flavors. Short but delightful finish
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9/13/2021 - Tonyboons33 Likes this wine: 92 Points
1,000% agree with other tasting notes, this was really lighter in body and thinner than I expected. Clearly a fine wine but I expected more even from a 2011 vintage. Paired with a nice zabutan steak, obviously drank well but just didn't have that body & depth. Have one more bottle.
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8/7/2021 - gth865a Likes this wine: 93 Points
Agrees with others about it being a lighter style - more Sonoma than Napa. Was expecting a bit more but thought it showed better later in the evening without food (grilled ribeye).
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8/7/2021 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 94 Points
Amazing
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7/31/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
A bit of a departure from Dunn hm style, cleaner, no Brett, fuller body and more viscous on the palate. Less savory and more grapey.
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7/24/2021 - Pancreatitis wrote:
From magnum.
This was lovely, graceful, elegant, predominantly secondary, kirsch, roses, Turkish delight, pencil shavings, black olive tapenade, soy, hoisin, beef stock, very Bordeauxesque, verging on Burgundian with bright acidity and unobtrusive structure.
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5/29/2021 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 94 Points
Drinking exceptional well -- still firm and structured but with good fruit integration. LOVE DUNN
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3/9/2021 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Some brett here - and I love it. Not "Davis-clean", I respect it for that, a wine with character with a sound fruit behind. Approachable, but still young. A cool year and I like it.
#zoom#MikeDunn
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2/20/2021 - Jaws4096 wrote: flawed
Thin and acidic, may have suffered storage problem?
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12/24/2020 - Slaz wrote: 92 Points
Layered fruit but limited acidity. Prior tastings were more impressive.
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11/20/2020 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind. Dark ruby color turning crimson at the rim with a transparent edge. Sublime flavors of dark berries, with a meaty character over medium acidity. Secondary notes of cola and vanilla on toasted oak that resonates over the long, smooth finish. Drink now until 2031.
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9/6/2020 - chrish399 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Amazing. Everyone's comments on 1-2 hr decant was perfect. Out the bottle, heavy herbal notes. After two hours, plenty of fruit with a balance of herbal and mineral notes.
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7/13/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Clearly the most forward vintage of Dunn Howell I have ever tasted. Approachable, with a creme de cassis, thyme, smoke and cherry character, the wine is medium/full-bodied, soft, round and with an hour or so of decanting, ready to go.
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7/9/2020 - akolicich wrote: 90 Points
I think there is likely bottle-variation in this vintage. I'd say this was the least composed Dunn I've drunk. Not bad but not as fruit forward or balanced as the normal Dunn. I would say not as put-together as I'm used to.
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7/8/2020 - NapaCabernet Likes this wine: 94 Points
For a Dunn standard, it is quite elegant and integrated.
The Nose takes quite some air but then shows red berries, sweet cherries and sour cherries together with mocha. Later also leather. Full mouthfeeling with elegance. And there are the typical Dunn notes of wet incense wood. Good round finish with light accidity.
Decanted for 40min but the wine took almost 2hrs to show its full strength.
An already ready Dunn and it will coutinue to cruise for another 5-8years.
(Don‘t forget to decant for min 2hrs)
94+p.
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2/7/2020 - Giggs wrote: 94 Points
First experience with this wine, but it presents like it’s at a transitional point where the elements are rapidly coming together and it’s about to take off. Very good, defying preconceived notions about the vintage.
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1/18/2020 - Slaz Likes this wine: 94 Points
There is some mild bottle variation with this vintage, at least based on my multiples tastings over the last 3+ years. This bottle tasted exceptionally well though. I'm generally more disappointed than impressed with Napa Cabs these days, but Dunn's Howell Mountain Cab remains reliable and impressive. Terrific depth and lively mountain minerality, with much red berry notes that are balanced and fairly elegant. Kept evolving over several hours of decanting, got to a relative steady state after 2 hours. 94-96 pts.
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10/31/2019 - wilhelm.kurt wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic. Decanted for two hours and served with lamb chops. Much more accessible than I expected. Nose was fantastic, lots of dark fruit, shoe leather. Long finish.
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10/25/2019 - Inlytes wrote: 89 Points
I have every Dunn Howell Mtn from 2009 to 2015. All have been very good and some epic. However, this wine was the most disappointing bottle I have ever opened. Not bad exactly, just blah. Smooth but not firm, no flavor, no anything. Dark in the glass like all Randy's cabs, no signs of deterioration. Maybe just shut down right now. I will open another soon just to see. If its the same, I will wait a year to see anything changes.
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7/15/2019 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Napa 2019; 7/14/2019-7/18/2019: Tasting at Dunn. Put your everyday Dunn Howell note here. Red fruit and earthy forest floor. The 2011 is no drop off from any other vintage. The 2011 seems to be heading into the drinking zone earlier than other vintages. Showed better than the 2012 but the differences seems only age related.
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4/13/2019 - Slaz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dunn Howell doesn't disappoint across vintages and across bottles (within a vintage), and I have much respect for that. Good structure, distinct minerality, and layers of flavors (without excessive ripeness) that all come to life after some decanting. That said, after 2+ hours of tasting and decanting, it started to taste tired and low on energy. Great wine, but I wouldn't attempt to hold it past 2022, at least not without checking in once or twice prior to that.
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2/3/2019 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good bottle. Great nose. his alcohol fruit. Cheers
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2/2/2019 - e-r.portzline Likes this wine: 92 Points
91 points + 1 for promise.
Open, decant.
00:30- crashing, fruit, olive, tannic. HOT HOT on the nose, as if it were >14%, on the palate, softer but crashing and rough.
01:00- tannic, settled a bit. White pepper, green pepper, black pepper, lots of fruit. No longer hot on the nose, nor the palate, settling down.
02:00- tannic, and yet like drinking rose petals, violets, and velvet. Tannins scream, “why did you open me??!!??”
03:00- tannic smoothing, red roses and violets, tellicherry black pepper, hints of lavender, earth and cedar.
Hold for longer. Thankfully there’s 11 more to go!
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1/4/2019 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Nothing above 14% released at Dunn. They’ll add H20 as needed. Nuanced mineral focus, really seems to be toe’ing the line with green pepperiness, but falls just on the mineral side of that. Really fresh, but the color is starting to show some browning to the rim. Finish is pretty wild. Very very engaging.
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10/23/2018 - csklsc Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Dark fruit with cherry notes are primary with a touch of lingering acidity. Tannins are present but softened and integrated. Mountain fruit was somewhat subdued, not sure if this was a result of the 2011 vintage or being more familiar with Spring Mountain fruit. Some would certainly enjoy but not my flavor profile.
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6/17/2018 - yossarian.livez wrote: 93 Points
Red fruit nose with menthol. On the palate adds a touch of animal hide and tobacco and Howell Mtn spice. Approachable already with (plentiful) polished tannin, but I wouldn't call it facile or open knit. Plenty time left, but ephemeral and pleasurable now. Frankly delicious.
The lightest touch of the three vintages ('11, '12, '14) tasted side by side.
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5/27/2018 - Squilber Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good Cabernet in an otherwise mediocre year for Napa. Decanted for 2 hours and it was good, but the wine was even better on Day 2 with more flavors present.
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4/20/2018 - KendraPM Likes this wine: 96 Points
Perfect from start to finish. 2011 Mountain fruit is spectacular!
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11/12/2017 - tb76 wrote:
1.5 hour decant, then 1.5 back in bottle. Ruby nearly opaque core, red berry, plum, spices...clove, eucalyptus, hints of cinnamon...pick up some bell pepper nose in this bottle. Pallet of red fruit, particularly black cherry and some smoky notes, well balanced, medium tannin. Good finish...Great..93-94
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9/9/2017 - jkvedar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good with food. Decanted 2 hours and initially it seemed a bit thin on the mid palate. However, when paired with a steak, it did beautifully! Great nose of graphite and bell pepper. Focused on the palate. Without food, the acid overpowers, but it is perfect with food!!
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6/28/2017 - bobvictor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Better than expected from the 2011 vintage. Silky, supple mouthfeel. Rich, full bodied. A real pleasure
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6/11/2017 - tb76 wrote:
Based on reccoemdations I gave this a 3 hour decant. Deep ruby, nearly opaque core, black fruit..berry, hint of plum, spices...clove, eucalyptus, hints of cinnamon...while I've had previous bottles have a hint of bell pepper mentioned in previous posts, I don't pick it up now..picking up brighter red fruit on pallet, particularly cherry, and some smoky notes, along with the cherry comes some brighter, but balanced, acidity and medium tannin (not surprising for Dunn). Good finish...very good..92
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5/10/2017 - blarmston Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Disappointing.
I had a 2011 HM a couple years ago (I know, it was too early, but it was at a business dinner and my director picked it out), and enjoyed that bottle immensely more than this one.
Perhaps a bad bottle, but this was just 'off'. On the nose, it had that green bell pepper smell, not a good sign. The wine was just flat to me, no body at all, no tannins present.
Just an unremarkable bottle. Lets hope I just got a bad batch...
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4/30/2017 - drfibb wrote: 94 Points
awesome. everyone liked it.
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4/16/2017 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Somehow I enjoyed this Dunn Howell less than I did on two separate occasions in 2015: it is still a very much elegant take on powerful mountain fruit but throughout several hours of decanting it tasted too thin at times. I will hold off touching the rest for several years.
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2/12/2017 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
It's getting better. Decant for a 1 or 2. This was my second bottle I had in the last 6 months. Fruit is evolving.
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2/8/2017 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep mix of garnet and ruby red. Layered nose with a slightly woody attack and red cherries. Undertones coated in damp leaves, gravel and even some softer dark fruits like plums. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and balanced. Great acidity with a silky texture. Layered with tons of red mountain berries, dark gravel and a touch perfumey. Big full bodied wine with a lingering finish. Drink till 2036.
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1/15/2017 - rednebmit wrote: 95 Points
Solid wine. I'm not a fan of 2011 napa cabs, but this Howell mtn drinks very well. Lots of fruit, good balance. Already a good drinker, should be better in a few years
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11/28/2016 - cookie7 wrote:
Note after 90 minutes in decanter. Dust and forest floor on the nose. Mouthfeel begins light but builds on the finish. Nice structure - very well balanced and not over the top at all. This will age well but is one of the more accessible young Dunn's I have had. They really did well in this vintage - perhaps my favorite 2011 cab to date.
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9/11/2016 - jnocera Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very dark almost black in color. On the nose right now it's still very tight a bit of blackberries but no secondary scents yet. On the palate great structure and the tannins are already not too bad. Fruit is still integrating with hints of blackberry and violets. Smooth long finish.
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9/10/2016 - SimpleBoyFromD wrote: 93 Points
Lots of red fruit. Big fruit forward Cali wine
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6/10/2016 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Prune, ash, and camphor on the nose. On the palate, red fruit with notes of blackberry, ash, and sharp black pepper and savory spice, with moderate tannins on the medium finish and moderate acidity. This was noticeably more evolved than a bottle drunk several months ago, and it's definitely drinkable now without decanting; I'm not sure how much it will improve from here, although there is probably some upside still to come. This was a fairly good value at about $70.
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6/6/2016 - The Grape North Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely wine. Despite the difficult vintage these mountain fruit are alive and well. No shame in drinking now, though certainly no rush either.
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5/25/2016 - danielolson06 wrote: 95 Points
I was introduced to Dunn, specifically the Howell Mountain Cab, at Dio Deka, a Michelin star restaurant. I was immediately wow'd and felt that I was introduced to one of Napa's legends. The Howell mountain area is one of those fabled lands that seems to defy all odds, this 2011 being a prime example due to the particularly difficult growing conditions in that year. Randy Dunn seems to be immune to these and demonstrates the versatility of his wine making technique. One of my favorites, without question.
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4/8/2016 - Robert N's Wine wrote: 89 Points
Wine had frontal fruit, and medium body. Was light finish with a lack of tannins. This was a fruit bomb, but did not have the structure to maintain the flavors in the mouth.
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3/5/2016 - greedy wrote: 88 Points
For $150 cdn this was a big disappointment. Granted the vintage was 2011, it was weaker than 2011 cakebread and caymus cab.
I will sit the rest for a few years but not optimistic that this wine goes anywhere.
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1/2/2016 - Grenik wrote: 91 Points
Very early to drink these. I find the Howell Mountain offerings to have a cool profile dominated by blue fruits, minerality, and some metallic notes. This 2011 offering was warmer and "redder" than I expected. Very good juice, but I was less excited than I am with the 2009 and 2010 offerings.
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12/16/2015 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Ripe earthy Blackberry with a little wet dirt, ferns, bark, and vanilla extract on it; hint of bell pepper too; mouth is fairly creamy, plush, but not big with lower tannins but good lift. Tangy blackberry finish. Excellent if not as built as previous vintages.
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12/13/2015 - napadirt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Potential cellar sleeper. Way too early to judge where this wine will be a decade+ from today. Extremely high acidity, obvious even to the nose. Lighter bodied than typical Dunn Howell Mountain (might be a detracting attribute). Long hot finish (from the acid). Scotch like complexity hiding underneath the acid. Some have called this a fruit bomb. No way can be it be described as such, at least my bottle. Will revisit remaining bottles in the coming decades. Rating 93+ on where it could develop.
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12/5/2015 - Slaz Likes this wine: 93 Points
I remain impressed with how accessible the wine is, especially after several hours of decanting. Purity of fruit and nearly seamless integration of (still young) tannins are noteworthy. Has a long life ahead.
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12/4/2015 - RichardP wrote: 91 Points
Menthol and prune on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, boysenberry, plum, and menthol, with notes of ash and mint on the medium finish, with light tannins and moderate acidity. This is very good considering the vintage, but as of now the value for money is only average; it should improve some with age.
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11/26/2015 - onewineheaven wrote: 94 Points
This is a Dunn Howell Mountain? This was my first Dunn in 10+ years and I was amazed that it was actually approachable at such a young age. (Sorry for the micro-aggression, old habits die hard. Is writing tasting notes man-splaining? Well, sorry for that too.) For once the fruit balances the tannins so that you can take a sip without reaching for an aquafer--which can be a bit problematic in California these days. Maybe El Nino will help you out. Anyway, lovely red fruit, tart cherry but from Turkey not Michigan, backed by slightly under ripe blackberries with a twist of anise, plus a few molecules of black cardamom. All the Dunns have miles to go but this one seems to have taken the road less traveled and may give pleasure both now and for many years to come.
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11/22/2015 - SimpleBoyFromD Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine is big, jammy, black fruit. Could sit for a couple more years.
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10/15/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Megamoon Part I: Napa; 10/13/2015-10/16/2015 (Napa Valley California): Dunn might be one of the only producers who seemed to not just make an ok wine in 2011 given all of the conditions but to actually make something which could be pretty spectacular. It's a lot more old world in style, less fruit, more floral, but just elegant in a way that I haven't seen in any other wine from that vintage. Mild black pepper which lends just the right spice. I'm pretty excited about this wine (in 15-20 years).
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9/28/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Sweet and tart, bright, crisp and crunchy dark red fruits with tannins that need time to develop. At least at the time of the tasting, the wine was more interesting on its earthy nose, than on the palate. With Howell Mountain fruit and Randy Dunn, time will tell.
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8/28/2015 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 93 Points
California New Wave & Old Guard Tasting: Wow, my first experience with Dunn and far and away the best wine of the night. This offered very pretty aromas and painted the most complete picture of the night, showing grace and elegance. Some real depth on the nose. Very rich and smooth immediately in the mouth, showing some very pretty texture, beautifully integrated tannins which don't at all get in the way of the elegant boxy. Pure tart fruit is felt throughout. Really impressive texture and flavor depth is a wonderfully balanced experience. Very pretty on the long, elegant finish. Tart and puckering. This wine's a real beauty. I'm glad to have been introduced to Dunn tonight!
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8/16/2015 - JustOneMore wrote: 88 Points
Decently structured, some fruit up front, with a spicy bouquet. However, a hint of something unpleasant is present, such as sweet cinnamon. I allowed this to breath over several hours, and until the next day, but by the time the unpleasantness is gone, the structure is gone as well.
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7/19/2015 - Slaz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Immediately accessible upon opening. Remarkable purity of fruit, especially for such a young cab. Tannins are silky but clearly abundant. Lots of fresh currant on the palate. Long finish. After 3+ hours got even more accessible but not by much; has plenty of life ahead.
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5/17/2015 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for about 1.5hrs. I was skeptical while reading that this is approachable so early, but it turned out to be true. Wonderful aromatics, with great complexity and a firm but excellent finish. This can clearly last for another 10+ years, but it is drinking well now. One of the best 11' wines I've had. Light compared to other vintages, but elegant and extremely well made. The mountain wines definitely fared the best in 2011.
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4/9/2015 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
A private lunch (Restaurant The Village Pub *, Woodside, California, USA): Rich colour, layered, bright soft fruit, complex top notes, ripe but fresh, intense yet very elegant for its weight, certainly not a bruiser, playful rather, in the Napa context this is power without weight, very accessible but with the structure for 10-15 years.
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2/14/2015 - stickmanparty Likes this wine: 94 Points
Representative of the newer style of Dunn Howell mountain, more approachable upon release but still very capable of aging well for many years. Really very nice upon opening with the telltale candle wax bouquet. Very well focused fruit with caramel overtones, balanced tannins with an impressively long finish. Improved with an hour and a half of decanting as is the case with most Dunn wines.
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