Tasting Notes for Duckhorn Howell Mountain Red Wine 2005

Red Wines	Bordeaux Red Blends	Napa Valley	California

My Rating (circle) :

Date Printed: 6/19/2013

Duckhorn Howell Mountain Red Wine 2005

(search item no. 101424)
Connoisseurs' Guide rating: 92 points
PRICE ON 6/19/2013: $69.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2004 Wine Enthusiast rating: 95 points
2003 Wine Enthusiast rating: 94 points
2003 Connoisseurs' Guide rating: 94 points
2002 Wine & Spirits rating: 93 points
2002 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2002 Connoisseurs' Guide rating: 92 points

Winemaker's Notes:

Crafted around a core of robust, mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, this Napa Valley wine embodies the power and intensity of its rugged, high-elevation terroir. The blend focuses on fruit from our two Howell Mountain Estate vineyards-Stout and Candlestick Ridge-yielding a wine with exceptional structure and extracted aromatics of peppermint, chocolate, bramble, cedar, soy and ginger spice. On the palate, it is lush and mouth-filling, highlighting Howell Mountain's signature wild berry and currant flavors, alongside notes of toasted marshmallow, espresso, earth, sage and sandalwood.

Varietal Content: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot.

My Notes:

Additional wines from Duckhorn Vineyards:

2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (search item no. 116049)
2009 The Discussion (search item no. 123950)
2010 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (search item no. 119735)
2010 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (375ML half-bottle) (search item no. 124016)
2010 Napa Merlot (search item no. 120628)
2010 Napa Merlot (375ML half-bottle) (search item no. 124563)
2010 Three Palms Merlot (search item no. 123408)

About Duckhorn Vineyards:

Founded in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has been crafting Bordeaux varietals from the Napa Valley for over 30 years. This winemaking tradition has grown to include seven estate vineyards, located throughout the various microclimates of the Napa Valley. Focused on quality and consistency, these estate vineyards are an essential element in making wines of distinction. One of the first wineries to pioneer Merlot as a premium varietal, Duckhorn Vineyards now makes several elegant Merlot and distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings to showcase the characteristics of its vineyard sites. In addition, the winery is known for its acclaimed Sauvignon Blanc. Beginning with the 2006 vintage, Duckhorn Vineyards unveiled The Discussion, a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend that represents the pinnacle of Duckhorn's portfolio.