Delectable Wine

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9.9

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard is fabulous. At age ten, it remains quite youthful. Black cherry, gravel, menthol, licorice and spices all run through this potent Howell Mountain Cabernet. All the elements are so well balanced. The 2012 is a seriously beautiful wine, as it always has been. What a knockout! It is the clear standout in this tasting, but it is definitely a wine for readers who appreciate mountain structure and intensity. What a wine! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2024)
— 6 months ago

Mike R

9.2

It was great at first but falling off at end - still enjoyed — 5 years ago

with Jeff

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I coravined a taste of this last weekend and had my first major disappointment with Ladera. That all changed with a 45 minute decant & food tonight.

This bottling & for many vintages in the early 2000’s was the steal of Howell Mountain producers. I was buying it at Costco for $41-$45. Now & for some time, you can’t find a bottle of this at Costco regardless of price.

The nose as I was decanting it was very perfumed florals with potpourri. Now, the nose sings with the blue & purple fruits that identify wine as a Howell Mountain producer. Blackberries, blueberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, stewed strawberries, raspberries haunt the background, sweet tarriness, dark, berry cola, black licorice, dry & fresh herbs-bay leaf driven, limestone, dry crushed rocks, softly laid baking spices; clove, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg, dark spice, dark chocolate bar, dry tobacco, some graphite, soft, used leather with spectacular, candied, fresh & slightly withering; dark, red, purple, blue florals framed in soft violets & fields of lavender.

The body is full, rich, lush and round. The tannins are nicely resolved but, still show baby teeth & tarriness. The tension, structure, length and balance are just the other side of peak. Blackberries, blueberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, stewed strawberries, raspberries haunt the background, sweet, very dark, tarriness, cherry kirsch liqueur, dark, berry cola, black licorice, dry & fresh herbs-bay leaf driven, limestone, dry crushed rocks, moist clay, softly laid baking spices; clove, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg, black tea, dark spice with comfortable palate heat, dark chocolate bar, expresso roast, dry tobacco, some graphite, soft, used leather with spectacularly floral, candied, fresh & slightly withering; dark, red, purple, blue florals framed in soft violets & fields of lavender. The acidity is near perfect & holds back the slightly higher ABV. The finish is; rich, round, elegant, sexy, gorgeous, velvety, well balanced and persist endlessly.

Not as outstanding as their 2002 but, very good & still has another 8 years & possibly plus of good drinking ahead. Proper storage of course.

Photos of; Ladera & their beautiful flowered Estate, barrel tasting room, entrance sign with Estate vines & a visual of why Howell Mountain is such a great terroir. It’s above the fog-line and therefore gets more sun than the Napa Valley floor. More sun and cooler temperature at elevation means longer fruit hang time & more even fruit ripening. — 5 years ago

Morgan Reese

9.8

NYE at The Hashknife. Robert talked them into selling during our visit in September. Incredible! — 2 years ago

with Andrew

Aaron Rankin

9.4

Killer at this age with a whole lot of stuffing remaining. — 3 years ago

Paul K

9.4

@Robert Evans Jr you suggested infanticide with the 2016 Kosta Browne. This is even more egregious. I actually thought the Pinot was quite good, but I’m pretty new to that world.
This is tight, but everything’s in the right place. Tannins throughout so dusty cherries, currant, and blackberries. There’s and little funk, hope it comes out more later. Have the opp to buy more at a good deal, so grabbed one to try. Gonna grab the rest. — 5 years ago

Joshua Fisher

9.3

New 2012 vintage BTG at the restaurant — 3 years ago

Joan Ziegler

9.3

2015 Enjoyed with my colleagues at Sequent — 3 years ago

Justin Hart

9.4

Wonderful notes of wet concrete, ripe strawberry, and baking spices on the nose. Medium bodied (so for a grenache maybe on the heavier side), light tannins and a beautiful ruby color greet you at every sip. On the palette the strawberry notes are intense, and I would call this a “boozy” grenache as the alcohol is quite punchy. The strawberry notes are coupled with dried meat, white pepper and hints of red plum. Yum! — 5 years ago

with Cherish and Jen

Justin Hart

9.5

This 2012 BDX blend could easily go another 7 years. It is still bound up (aeration required) and seething with intense blackberries, black currant and firm tannins. After mild aeration, the darker fruit gives way to a little bit of ripe cherry, tobacco and some faint but of vanilla. After heavy aeration, the vanilla comes out more noticeably on the nose, dominating everything else basically, with a hint of cherry at the end. On the palette the jamminess starts to show through, with ripe cherry and red plum overshadowing the tobacco and finishing with a strong white pepper note. — 5 years ago

with Cherish and Jen