2007 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2007 Howell Mountain is one of the most approachable, sexy wines I’ve tasted from this estate. Still ruby/purple color with beautiful notes of blue fruits, forest floor, Asian spices, and lead pencil shavings, it hits the palate with a forward, opulent texture and ripe, polished tannins. The tannic austerity this estate is known for is certainly not present, yet it’s fleshy, beautifully concentrated, and has an awesome finish. Drink it over the coming 10-15 years.

Bright, dark red with ruby tones. Briary dark berries, bitter chocolate, cocoa powder and minerals on the nose, lifted by a violet quality. Silky, fine-grained and highly concentrated, in a distinctly dark style; the wine's bulletproof fruit is still youthfully withdrawn and a bit medicinal. The unflagging finish is classic and dry, featuring tannins that are firm but essentially sweet and showing subtle black fruit and floral flavors that go on and on. Still a bit withdrawn and nowhere near its peak, this wine has a great future. Of the more recent Dunn vintages, this wine displays a distinctly Old World medicinal quality and spine.

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is unlike any wine I have ever tasted from Dunn. Layer after layer of flavor saturates the palate in this opulent, full-throttle Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2007 possesses dazzling textural richness, depth and sheer intensity. Purists may prefer more structured vintages, but for a producer known for such slow maturing wines, the 2007 is a huge pleasure to taste.