Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Enjoyed alongside some other Napa legends from the 80’s and 90’s. This was stunning and to my palate, on this night, seemed to show the best of the Napa flight. The 1992 shows classic Dunn Howell with ample dark and red fruits, tobacco, earth, leather and fine baking spices. Stout structure. Everything in beautiful balance. Drink now with unmitigated glee and through 2042 because just like Barry, this has Staying Power.

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.

Perfect with the lamb ribeye! Still so young!

Takes the reins as best ever Dunn Cabernet for me…needed 45 mins out of Magnum, nose all Bordeaux of cedar and cigar box with a touch of cassis. Velvety palate, layers of red cherry and chocolate espresso bean, long, long finish. Find and drink now if you can.

Rim to rim color density. Red and black cherries poke through cedar and sweet tobacco on the nose with dark chocolate chunks, plum, prune and date, toasted sesame, cinnamon, rose petal, and cardamom. Chewy tannins that roll satin-smooth initially, then cassis, black currant and licorice flip the script. Graphite and blackberry frame dark chocolate and mocha-tobacco, oak and black bread.


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The most evolved and ready Dunn I’ve tasted, generous nose of red cherry and light cedar, Bordeaux-like palate, perfectly resolved after 30 mins and just pure silk. Asian spice, dark cherry, light cocoa. Several thought even better that the ‘05 Haut-Brion! I’d drink these now.

Finally had a Dunn that was ready to drink! Pasilla, black currant, forest floor, black trumpet mushroom.

Another gift from the somm table. Mature but definitely not old. Intense aromas of earth and tobacco notes joined by leather.
Smooth and caressing in the mouth. Just a little bit of brett that is smothered by flavors of cherries, , plums and minerals. This bottle would more than hold its own in a Bordeaux tasting

Says ‘Sample’ Nice being neighbors with randy Dunn

Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), CA Cabernet Pre-2000; 20 April 2023 at Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY