Mark Flesher

9.6

Incredible bottle. In its PRIME right now. Youthful nose and front palate of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, cinnamon. The middle is black fruit dominated, showing a tiny hint of age but is quite integrated and soft. Finish is powerful blackberry, blueberry, hint of bramble. Toasted, sweet cedar tannin with quite a youthful finish. In 750, this bottle is both youthful yet integrated, shy yet powerful. Dang. Still have 1 more of these left! 96 easy...almost a 97. Cheers! — 21 hours ago

Kimberly Anderson

9.3

Purplish black with heady scents of mocha, blueberry and herbs. Pomegranate, dusty plum, and espresso. Black tea notes on the finish. Plush but not over the top. A 30 minute decant made a big difference with this wine. — 5 days ago

with Chad

Jody Scharf

9.4

Just like I love my Zins. Jammy. On the nose cinnamon, cherries and blackberries. A tad sweet, dark cherries, tiny acid. Dark love. — 4 days ago

Shay A

9.4

Just a few bottles from an awesome Open That Bottle Night celebration this past weekend.

Another wine with a great future but is extremely young right now. If guessing blind, I don’t think I would have called this Howell Mtn...seemed more like Pritchard Hill. Fruit is very inky and juicy. Freshly squeezed blackberries and raspberries. Chalky on the palate. Some sweet tobacco up front on the palate but it turns pretty herbal towards the end. Give it time. — 23 days ago

Mark Flesher

9.6

Wow. This wine is READY. Pours very dark into the glass. Thick meniscus. Nose that is intense: blackberry, blueberry, pencil shavings, roasted almonds, oregano. Enters with ripe blackberries and blueberry pie immediately up front. Middle of roasted coffee bean, herbs, roasted almonds, mint, black tea. Very eclectic and powerful. Finishes with a graphite chalkiness and powerful and mostly blueberry finish with black pepper. Tannins are still quite grippy, although I imagine the edges were more jagged on this one 5 years ago. WOW. Drink. Now. !! — 6 days ago

Andy Demaree

9.0

Not as lush as other vintages I’ve had. This ‘09 shows more mineral notes and a tangy acidity in the finish. I’’d be curious to see how this evolves over the next few years. — 4 days ago

Ron R

9.3

Cade is a fave of mine. This vintage is no exception. We were spoiled by the Gaja and Palmer. — 4 days ago

with Andrew and Rick

Mark Flesher

9.4

Opened tonight. And, I feel like a broken record saying that here is ANOTHER great 2011 considering the "damned vintage" that this one received press for being. I have 43 more 2011 Napa wines and I have a feeling that I'm going to be writing the same thing another 43 times. Not powerful, but these wines truly show the complexity that Napa cab CAN be. Nose of iodine, black licorice. Very front of this wine is sweeter black cherry giving way to an herbal infused middle (getting more dried basil with a hint of oregano and cumin). The red clay terroir is unmistakably present here through the middle and finish, which is usually more present for Ponente only at the very finish. The wine finishes with black cherry and black licorice dominated notes. I have a feeling that this wine is still on the way up. Has a few more years until it is at the top of the hill, but drinking OH SO WELL right now. — 12 days ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

No full detailed notes as we had guests for dinner and none left to re-taste today.

This a classic Howell Mountain Cabernet in every way except the price I paid for vintages 2010 and prior. I’ve been able to find it at Costco for around $45. However, I haven’t seen it at Costco since then. Still a blue chip Howell Mountain producer and a steal at that price.

The palate revealed, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, classic Howell Mountain blue fruits and strawberries as it opened up after a 1/2 hour in the glass. Loads of baking spices, excellent structure and length, well balanced fruit and earth loads of violets and lavender, really good acidity and a long, beautiful finish that persisted minutes.

Photos of; their beautiful Howell Mountain property, their barrel/tasting-dining room, terrace tasting patio and their Estate vines.

This drank nicely last night but, would wait another five years to open another. Still has not hit its peak and will age gracefully for another ten plus years. — 17 days ago

David Bettencourt

9.3

2014 vintage. Tobacco and currant overpower dark cherries on the nose. The fruit takes a back seat before you drink it but shows up as you drink with cherries and blackberries dominating the palette and oak showing up on the finish. Let this one open up for at least 45 minutes otherwise It is tight and lacking in complexity. Great pair with steak. — 11 days ago