O'Shaughnessy - Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 750ml
Many of the estate vines now exhibit eighteen years of age and have established deep roots on our 120-acre hillside property. Between 1997 and 2002, the team planted 29 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. They also cultivated 6 acres of all eight of the Bordeaux blending varietals, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec, Carmenere, St. Macaire, and Gros Verdot. In pursuit of maximizing the options for flavor, they utilized several different root stocks and clones for the Cabernet Sauvignon plantings.
Winemaker Sean Capiaux has crafted this Howell Mountain staple for more than two decades
98+ pts J. Dunnuck / 97 pts Decanter / 94 pts Robert Parker / 94 pts James Suckling
This is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with an opaque purple color and perfumed aromas of blackberry compote, orange blossom, cassis, creme brulee, and cocoa. On the palate the wine is plush and concentrated with well-integrated tannins and a vibrant finish. Lush enough to be consumed now and structured enough to hold for decades thanks to the mountain heritage of this beautiful wine.
"The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is an incredible wine, and it flirts with perfection. Full-bodied and concentrated, it has flawless balance and elegance as well as just textbook Howell Mountain notes of blue fruits, cassis, violets, graphite, and background oak. I love its tannins, it has remarkable purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. It has some appeal today yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and should have over two decades of longevity." - Jeb Dunnuck
Sourced from a single vineyard, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 1.5 % Petit Verdot, 1.5 % Saint-Macaire (an obscure grape from southwestern France), 1% Carménère and 1% Cabernet Franc.
region: Howell Mtn, Napa, CA, USA
varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend
style: bold red
farming/cellar: sustainable, hand picked, fermented in steel, aged for ~2 years in 60 gallon French oak barrels (high percentage of new)
pairing: ribeye, philly cheesesteak, braised short ribs