Brian S

9.2

Black and blue fruit, coffee, black rock, dried herb, mint, dark chocolate and tobacco. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Many of you that see my posts know I don’t open a Napa Cabernet this young. However, this was selling at my Costco for $69.99. K&L Wine Merchants $99.99. Delectable at $115. So, I had to buy a four. I coravined this bottle for a Somm friend last weekend who likes his Napa reds young. 🤷‍♂️

While this has seen a bit of bottle evolution, it still needs another 6-8 yrs before I open another and has the potential to pick up another point or two then.

Nose shows; brambly blackberries, stewy black plum, black raspberries, darkest cherries, boysenberries and strawberries off the glass edges. Dry tobacco, leather, dark spice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon notes, vanilla, anise, dark, rich, turned earth and withering, dark, slightly candied flowers.

The palate expresses some evolution. It is rich, ripe; brambly blackberries, stewy black plum, black raspberries, darkest cherries, boysenberries, hints of blueberries and strawberries off the glass edges. Tarry, dry medium plus tannins. Dry tobacco, leather, dark spice with a touch of heat, mixed darker berry cola, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon notes, vanilla, black tea, anise, mixed fresh & drier herbs, dark, rich, turned earth, barrel shavings/dust, a hint of black pepper, moist, grey clay, dry top soil, dry river stone and withering, dark, red, slightly candied flowers with violets, very round, phat acidity with a well; balanced, big structured, tensioned, lush, elegant and nicely layered & polished finish that lasts a full 90 seconds. Still kind of in its primary stage.

This is made by Chris Carpenter who also makes; Lokoya, Cardinale, La Jota, Hickinbotham (Australia) made at Yangarra. Sofia & I tasted at Yangarra and after tasted his Hickinbotham with him in 2017.

Photos of; staff picking on Mount Veeder, Chris Carpenter in the cellar and scenic shot of Mount Veeder. — 2 years ago

Gunja Gargeshwari

9.4

Tie for WOTN! Beautiful nose, deep finish and probably WOTN if decanted vs the La Jota 1999. This was one of the best expressions of Oakville fruit I have had in a long time. — 6 years ago

Simara Salgado

9.0

Ótimo vinho para acompanhar carnes em geral, pizzas, massas com molhos vermelhos, feijão mexido, bife acebolado e carreteiro. — 7 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.5

My better half pulled this - I screamed NOOOOO!!!! as I heard the cork pop - we only had one bottle and I thought it would be way too early. The good news is that this Chris Carpenter made Syrah from Spring Mountain, while a baby, yes, is still absolutely delicious.

The nose offers up baking spice and vanilla. The tannins are gripping on the entry. Flavors of blackberry, brown sugar, hint of bacon (the strong savory notes that can be typical of Syrah are thankfully absent). Very balanced - it’s fruit forward without being sweet or a fruit bomb. There is decent acid but the tannins are dominating.

Give this one a little more time or a serious decant. Still excellent now. — 8 years ago

Brian S

9.3

Sanguine, mature blue and red fruit, black rock, soil, licorice/mint. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2013 vintage. Decanted with a little sed. Great cork. Tremendous power and on the leaner side of the ledger...think bigg vintage Leoville Las Cases or 80's/early 90's Montelena or *gasp* La Jota before the Helen Turley fruit bomb intervention in the early 90’s. Drinking a little "hot" but only at 14.9% ABV. Definite palate-wrecker with tannins for daze. Will take this wine in their lineup nearly every time vs the pricier and smoother Pritchard Hill shizz. The off the charts QPR is easily tasted vs the rest of their Cab/Cab-based lineup. Awesome now but will consolidate even further into a wolverine wine. Be very afraid. If you're looking for a quiet, placid dinner for two, then a rom-com snugglefest, this is not your beautiful house. This is someone else's beautiful wife. 12.01.24. — 2 years ago

Nicole K

9.6

Bday dinner at KB — 4 years ago

Tobin Trevarthen

9.4

Wait what? A Howell Mountain Pinot? Yes and OMG elegant and powerful. Just 25 cases made. Wow. Albeit not cheap. — 7 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

Lokoya's Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain) draws on both fruit from the Jackson family's Keyes and La Jota vineyards, which is unusual, as the wine is usually made only from Keyes. Plush, deep and inky, the 2015 races across the palate with layers of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, new leather, licorice and lavender. Deep, powerful and super-concentrated, the 2015 has a lot to offer. Here, too, winemaker Chris Carpenter has tamed the mountain tannins considerably. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2018) — 8 years ago

Jake Hajer

9.2

Didn't think a petite sirah could age so well! Ultra smooth. Seems like the tannins became more integrated over time. Black velvet. — 9 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.2

Bootleg is the newest Napa label under the Jackson Family umbrella, which also includes Cardinale, Freemark Abbey, Galerie, La Jota, Lokoya, and Mt. Brave. The label pays homage to “the winegrowing rogues, who smuggled vine cuttings from renowned French vineyards and replanted them in California.” Kristy Melton, formerly director of winemaking at Clos du Val, crafts the wines and this blend of 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petite Sirah, 21% Zinfandel, 12% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. The fruit is sourced from vineyards on Atlas Peak, Oakville, Mt. Veeder, Rutherford and Spring Mountain. Parker called it “off-the-charts in terms of its hedonistic appeal” and I can’t disagree. Blackberry, kirsch and cassis combine to yield an ultra rich fruit bomb, but it doesn’t stop there, adding Rutherford dust, cocoa powder, licorice, purple flowers, cedar, and crushed rock. I’ve heard several comparisons of this to the wines of Orin Swift, and while both are fruit bomb, high octane wines, I’m more inclined to compare this to something like Andy Erickson’s Leviathan. — 9 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2019 vintage. Medium heavy bod. Likely the best La Jota Cab I’ve had since the early 90’s/pre-Helen Turley days. 5.13.26. — a month ago

Ericsson

9.4

With The Bored Wine Tasting Group. Cheers. Outstanding. — 3 months ago

Charles Mires

9.2

Excellent+. Definite Toro style but leans to medium bodied. Super drinkable — 4 years ago

Riina Nieminen

9.2

Erittäin hyvä ja mehukas viini. Upea marjaisuus ja juoma jota voi hyvin kuvitella Dionysoksen juovan juhlissaan.

w Lauri
@ Venetsia — 4 years ago

Ron Haber

9.5

2O Years, going strong, beautifully balanced fruit in a 1.5L. No rush to even drink it!!!!! — 6 years ago

Mike Mayer

9.1

Another wonderful Merlot. Mountain wines are known for beautiful dark color, intense aromatics and full bodied flavors. This Howell Mountain wine does not disappoint. Beautiful ruby red color and great aromas of blue fruit, cedar and a little earthiness. The tannins on this young wine are very apparent but seem to integrate nicely with the intense flavors of blueberries and baking spices while in your mouth. I am sure this wine will improve with age but it drinks very well today. — 8 years ago

with Lisa

Y Kwon

9.6

Bones Restaurant in ATL. With @Clinton Coe Left Bank BDX. Really nice bouquet of dark fruits. Tannins and acid were in balance after 3 hours of decanting. Drank along side 13 Silver Oak Alexander Valley and 12 La Jota Howell Mountain. All the wines were showing well with great company. 📈 — 8 years ago

Ryan Mayes

9.0

From winemaker Chris Carpenter and the Spire (La Jota) folks. Not a Cab Franc lover but this was good juice. — 9 years ago