Winemaker Notes
Blend: 55% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petite Sirah
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of two sites on Howell Mountain, the 2017 Howell Mountain Hillside Blend aged 22 months in 70% new oak and is made up of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up youthful notes of crushed blackberries, warm cassis and blueberry pie with hints of star anise, cedar chest, pencil lead and tapenade plus a waft of Marmite toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid structure of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long with a provocative mineral edge.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Howell Mountain Hillside Blend comes from one of the highest elevation sites on the mountain (it faces east) and was aged in close to 70% new French oak for a full two years. It has plenty of mountain fruit structure as well as medium to full body, notes of black cherries, currants, graphite, chocolate, and scorched earth, terrific balance, and the straight, focused, tight style of the vintage. Rating: 93+
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James Suckling
Blueberries, blackberries and licorice on the nose and palate. Full body and firm, silky tannins that are tight and fine. Pretty finish. Showing precision. Drink or hold.
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.