Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Obsidian (625 cases) is a similar but slightly different blend than its predecessor (72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, and the rest small portions of Malbec and Merlot). It has an opaque purple color and a stunning nose of acacia flowers, blackberries, licorice, forest floor, mocha/chocolate, and gobs of cassis fruit. Great intensity, a full-bodied, multi-layered mouthfeel, stunning purity, and a length of 45+ seconds make for an exquisite, full-throttle, yet beautifully intense Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that should dink well for 20-30 years.
Rating: 98+ -
James Suckling
Wow. This is very impressive with blackcurrant and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full body, chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Rich yet full of tension. Better in 2019.
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Wine Spectator
Very dense, tannic and concentrated, this makes a statement, with loose gravel, dusty dried currant and licorice notes, ending with a chewy aftertaste and a scent of mocha. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. Drink now through 2028. 625 cases made.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Today Cabernet Sauvignon is the star of this part of Napa’s rugged, eastern hills, but Zinfandel was responsible for giving the Howell Mountain growing area its original fame in the late 1800s.
Winemaking in Howell Mountain was abandoned during Prohibition, and wasn’t reawakened until the arrival of Randy Dunn, a talented winemaker famous for the success of Caymus in the 1970s and 1980s. In the early eighties, he set his sights on the Napa hills and subsequently astonished the wine world with a Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Shortly thereafter Howell Mountain became officially recognized as the first sub-region of Napa Valley (1983).
With vineyards at 1,400 to 2,000 feet in elevation, they predominantly sit above the fog line but the days in Howell Mountain remain cooler than those in the heart of the valley, giving the grapes a bit more time on the vine.
The Howell Mountain AVA includes 1,000 acres of vineyards interspersed by forestlands in the Vaca Mountains. The soils, shallow and infertile with good drainage, are volcanic ash and red clay and produce highly concentrated berries with thick skins. The resulting wines are full of structure and potential to age.
Today Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Sirah thrive in this sub-appellation, as well as its founding variety, Zinfandel.