2019 | Dunn Vineyards | Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Lushly fruited, this sends waves of crushed plum, boysenberry compote and blackberry paste out from the core, with a strong undercurrent of cast iron and smoldering tobacco to boot. Grippy and dense, but with a sense of polish and a note of purity in the guise of a pretty violet echo.

Reviews:

• Jeb Dunnuck: I would put the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain up against both the 2013 and 2016 as a potential reference point vintage for this cuv e. Checking in at 13.9% alcohol and revealing a deep purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of pure cr me de cassis, scorched earth, graphite, bouquet garni, and hints of plum, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness carrying ultra-fine tannins, a flawless sense of balance and purity, and incredible length. It has plenty of classic Howell Mountain structure, but it's far from the beast of a wine these were 10 to 15 years ago, and it clearly offers ample pleasure today. Nevertheless, it's going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and, I suspect, evolve nicely over the following 20-30 years. Tasted twice with consistent results, hats off to Mike Dunn for this brilliant wine.

• Vinous: The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is outrageously beautiful. A wine of extraordinary purity, the 2019 dazzles right out of the gate. The tannins are nearly silky for a young Howell Mountain Cabernet. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, rose petal and pomegranate all build in this sumptuous, explosive Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2019 is one of the most elegant Cabernets I have tasted here, and that is saying something What a wine!

Producer Information

Dunn Vineyards is a small family-owned estate in Howell Mountain, a sub-appellation within the Napa Valley. Founded in 1979 by Randy Dunn, and still run by him and his son Mike. It has something of a cult reputation and is known for making some of the very best Cabernet Sauvignon in the region. Only two wines are produced under the Dunn Vineyards banner, both entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon. The first is labeled under the Howell Mountain AVA and offers plenty of fruit-weight and tannic structure. The other is labeled with the wider Napa Valley appellation, and combines around 85 percent Howell Mountain fruit with the remainder coming from the valley floor. This wine usually shows softer tannins and is approachable at a younger age, although it can still usually be cellared for 15 years or more. Production is relatively small with around 2500 cases of Howell Mountain and 1500 of the Napa Valley wine produced each year. The family lands extend to 200 acres (80 hectares), the majority of which is woodland. Some 35 acres (14 hectares) are under vine, in several vineyards dotted throughout the trees. Most of this is Cabernet Sauvignon, although there are a few blocks of Petite Sirah destined for the Retro Cellars label set up by Mike Dunn. Dunn Vineyards also has a few plots of other grape varieties, although these are not commercially released.

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