An outstanding wine that is drinking very well now. Powerful, but smooth and refined. Blackberries, cassis, dark chocolate, truffles, and cedar. Long, satisfying finish. — 18 days ago
Plush and rounded. Sweet fruit. Lush and long. Very good shape. Still vibrant — a month ago
+1 hour decant(some fine/chunky sediment). A splendid crimson red color. On the nose: wonderful bouquet with plum, stewed meat, cassis, sweet tobacco, funky earth, leather. Taste: silky, finessed, balanced wine with red berries/plum, coffee grounds, cedar, tobacco, and a nice peppery pencil lead long finish. YUM! Pure class in a glass. — 2 months ago
Medium Ruby with quite wide garnet rim. More truffle , tobacco , violet , cassis and earthy notes. Takes a bit of time to get going and certainly shows a bit more age than the 2009. On the palate, more austere with dryer tannin than the 2009 , but very well balanced and classic in style . Cassis, blackcurrant , tobacco graphite notes . Some dry spices too . Quite fresh acidity , and slightly gritty tannin. Long , saline, graphite tinged finish. This is showing some development , but will improve further over the next 5 possibly 10 years and hold well a further 5-10 — 22 days ago
Golden , orange tinged centre , lemon yellow rim . Very aromatic, clementines, orange rind , saffron , creme brûlée , caramel. On the palate rich and intense but with very good balance from fresh acidity . Orange syrup , saffron creme brûlée with a slight burnt caramel touch on the finish . Long and powerful , this is ready but will carry on at this level for another 10-20 years — a month ago
Opened several hours prior and decanted off sediment and a portion of the cork that had broke and crumbled before returning to the bottle. The 2007 “Howell Mountain” pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core and very slight rim variation. On the nose, the wine is developing with gorgeous notes of dark fruit: black currants, blackberries, tobacco, leather, earth and gentle spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory. This is firing on all cylinders right now and the structure suggests the power of the 2007 vintage is not slowing down anytime soon. Drink now with a decant and through 2037 with ease. — 19 days ago
Medium deep garnet core with slightly wider terracotta rim . Quite exuberant nose , more dark fruits than the Barton , spicy , cedar notes , touch of funk , swimming pool note also . On the palate quite spicy more intense black fruits , cassis , sous bois , coffee , saline , mineral tinged sea spray notes . Balanced acidity and quite rounded but noticeable tannin . Long and denser on the finish than the Barton . Showing well now but can go another 10 years no problem — a month ago
DAL 9000
Pours deep rich red. Initial mild dark fruit quickly changes to a quick burst of baking spices and cherries and then changes to a dryness of plums. Some soft tannins on the back. Love the changing layers. — 7 days ago