2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Bright, saturated red-ruby. Very youthful, Pauillac-like aromas of cassis, blueberry, minerals, bitter chocolate and tobacco leaf. Densely packed and seamless but youthfully imploded, conveying a strong impression of saline minerality to its flavors of plum, dark berries, mocha and graphite. There's a sexy pliancy here but owing to its medicinal and mineral elements this big wine practically tastes like a barrel sample. Wonderfully thick, plush and dry, finishing with substantial but thoroughly buffered tannins and outstanding slow-building length and captivating sweetness. (13.9% alcohol)

Bright, deep ruby-red. Finer and higher-pitched on the nose than the Napa Valley bottling, offering perfumed scents of cassis, blueberry, blackberry, licorice, violet and bitter chocolate: a clear expression of Howell Mountain cabernet. A step up in sweetness and depth from the Napa Valley release, offering superb intensity and excellent clarity and lift to the primary, highly concentrated dark berry flavors. This very densely packed, long wine is built for a slow evolution in bottle and may very well ultimately merit an even higher rating. Tannins are substantial but broad and fine.