La Jota Vineyard Co.

Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc

9.2190 ratings
9.252 pro ratings
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California, USA
Cabernet Franc
Exotic Spices, Baking Spices, Hard Cheese, Blue Cheese, Chili & Hot Spicy, Pungent Cheese, Potato, White Rice, Herbs, Tomato-Based, Pasta, Mushrooms, Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Salami & Prosciutto, Beef, Soft Cheese, Chicken, Lamb, Turkey, Pork, Duck, Venison
Top Notes For
"Odedi"

Inky in color with a purplish rim.

Pretty nose with lots of black fruits, chocolates and cedar notes.

Full-bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, herbs, earth and black pepper.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and pomegranates.

This is a delicious Cabernet Franc from Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. Rich and extracted, elegant and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with nice complexity, and a soft mouthfeel.

Still young, and needs a few more years in the bottle to mature properly, but already very approachable. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Wine Enthusiasts 95 points. Robert Parker 93 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food. Will pair nicely with Lamb dishes.

100% Cabernet Franc grapes were aged in (67% new) French Oak barrels for 21 months. Unfiltered and unfined.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$135.

Inky in color with a purplish rim.

Pretty nose with lots of black fruits, chocolates and cedar notes.

Full-bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, herbs, earth and black pepper.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and pomegranates.

This is a delicious Cabernet Franc from Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. Rich and extracted, elegant and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with nice complexity, and a soft mouthfeel.

Still young, and needs a few more years in the bottle to mature properly, but already very approachable. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Wine Enthusiasts 95 points. Robert Parker 93 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food. Will pair nicely with Lamb dishes.

100% Cabernet Franc grapes were aged in (67% new) French Oak barrels for 21 months. Unfiltered and unfined.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$135.

Oct 3rd, 2026
David Kline

Lovely, smoky, mushroom-funk with ethereal violet perfume emanating from lemon madeleines. Perfect expression of cassis and blackberries and black cherry, touches of sweet tobacco reveal a jungle of verdant herbs. Amazing cab franc with the full spectrum of textures.



#lajota #lajotavineyardco #lajotahowellmountainestate #howellmountain #napa #napavalley #cabernetfranc #cabfranc #oakville

Lovely, smoky, mushroom-funk with ethereal violet perfume emanating from lemon madeleines. Perfect expression of cassis and blackberries and black cherry, touches of sweet tobacco reveal a jungle of verdant herbs. Amazing cab franc with the full spectrum of textures.



#lajota #lajotavineyardco #lajotahowellmountainestate #howellmountain #napa #napavalley #cabernetfranc #cabfranc #oakville

Jan 27th, 2023
Lynn Penner-Ash

Owner/Winemaker Penner-Ash

9.0

Day 6 of social distancing. Paired it with the movie The Good Liar. Ron wanted something from South America and not Pinot. Tried to convince him we were drinking a Malbec. Obviously not a Good Liar!

Day 6 of social distancing. Paired it with the movie The Good Liar. Ron wanted something from South America and not Pinot. Tried to convince him we were drinking a Malbec. Obviously not a Good Liar!

Mar 20th, 2020
Matt Sterr

A gorgeous expression of Napa Valley (Howell MTN) CF. Nice extraction. Good balance. Excellent mouthfeel. Medium-long finish.

A gorgeous expression of Napa Valley (Howell MTN) CF. Nice extraction. Good balance. Excellent mouthfeel. Medium-long finish.

May 29th, 2019
John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

8.8

Big, heavy and ripe. Can hardly tell its cab franc. Tasty. but too big for our palates.

Big, heavy and ripe. Can hardly tell its cab franc. Tasty. but too big for our palates.

Jan 26th, 2019
Tom Inners

Classically speaking, La Jota is my favorite Howell Mountain producer. I’ve tasted so many treasures from this producer in the 1985-2005 span here in the past few years. Beautiful integration and expression of Cabernets on volcanic soils at elevation. But what do I love most about Howell Mt wines at their best? - Their ability to smell like Howell Mt itself. Being a 2003 this wine finds itself in a good place now though I wish I had others to try again in 3-5 years

Classically speaking, La Jota is my favorite Howell Mountain producer. I’ve tasted so many treasures from this producer in the 1985-2005 span here in the past few years. Beautiful integration and expression of Cabernets on volcanic soils at elevation. But what do I love most about Howell Mt wines at their best? - Their ability to smell like Howell Mt itself. Being a 2003 this wine finds itself in a good place now though I wish I had others to try again in 3-5 years

Nov 13th, 2018
Dan Thomas

1991 vintage. Soft and long with dried herbs on the finish. Need to find more of these

1991 vintage. Soft and long with dried herbs on the finish. Need to find more of these

Dec 30th, 2017
Shay A
9.3

This is one of the better cab francs I've had (though I need to try Detert on @Carl Fischer's recommendation). La Jota is becoming a favorite of mine...shouldn't be surprised as I'm a die-hard Howell Mountain fan. No traces of green pepper at all with this...got a nose of very slight toasted oak and blackberries. Long legs and a gorgeous purple ring/black core. Plum and cinnamon on the tongue. I'll take some more please. 👌

This is one of the better cab francs I've had (though I need to try Detert on @Carl Fischer's recommendation). La Jota is becoming a favorite of mine...shouldn't be surprised as I'm a die-hard Howell Mountain fan. No traces of green pepper at all with this...got a nose of very slight toasted oak and blackberries. Long legs and a gorgeous purple ring/black core. Plum and cinnamon on the tongue. I'll take some more please. 👌

Dec 31st, 2016
Anna Vocaturo

Smooth, spicy, tobacco notes

Smooth, spicy, tobacco notes

Dec 3rd, 2016
WineMascot

2000, I wish I had any of this to sell. very much like a well age nebbiolo, the acidity is racy the color is brick the fruit is warm red strawberry and it can go another 10 yrs. wow!

2000, I wish I had any of this to sell. very much like a well age nebbiolo, the acidity is racy the color is brick the fruit is warm red strawberry and it can go another 10 yrs. wow!

Jun 11th, 2016