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)
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)
May 10th, 2024Full ruby to the rim. Superripe, deep scents of cherry, mocha and gravel. As fine-grained and suave as the last two but enters the mouth with more obvious definition and mineral firmness, giving the middle palate more energy and thrust. Finishes with unmistakably powerful yet suave Howell Mountain tannins and outstanding slowly building length. Unlike the other two 2010s from Dana Estates, this very large-scaled wine really still needs a couple more years of patience. Good minerality and structure here, but still plenty of alcohol at 15.7%. Finishes with outstanding length and excellent lift. (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, May 2020)
Full ruby to the rim. Superripe, deep scents of cherry, mocha and gravel. As fine-grained and suave as the last two but enters the mouth with more obvious definition and mineral firmness, giving the middle palate more energy and thrust. Finishes with unmistakably powerful yet suave Howell Mountain tannins and outstanding slowly building length. Unlike the other two 2010s from Dana Estates, this very large-scaled wine really still needs a couple more years of patience. Good minerality and structure here, but still plenty of alcohol at 15.7%. Finishes with outstanding length and excellent lift. (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, May 2020)
May 27th, 2020
Dense, chocolatey and kinda long but not much fruit character in the expression of acid or fruit. If this is where Napa is headed, I'll be spending my$ elsewhere.
Dense, chocolatey and kinda long but not much fruit character in the expression of acid or fruit. If this is where Napa is headed, I'll be spending my$ elsewhere.
1 person found it helpfulApr 19th, 2017
Phillipe at his best. Awesome wine showing structure, elegance, and layers on the nose.
Phillipe at his best. Awesome wine showing structure, elegance, and layers on the nose.
Jul 9th, 2016
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California, USA
