2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is one of the very finest young wines I have ever tasted from Randy Dunn. Layers of dark red fruit, blackberries, flowers, mint and licorice emerge from this seamless, large-scaled wine. This is a rich, opulent 2007 that never abandons its traditional sense of structure. All of the aromas and flavors build beautifully towards the immensely rewarding, intense, seductive finish. This is a dazzling showing from Randy Dunn. The 2007 is atypically open today. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2027. I tasted a large number of wines with Randy Dunn this year. These are some of the most powerful, age worthy Cabernets being made in Napa Valley today. Dunn is very much an iconoclast who follows his own convictions. Picking is a bit earlier here than elsewhere throughout the valley. Dunn isn’t too concerned if stems occasionally make it into the fermenter. A fervent advocate of lower-alcohol wines, Dunn makes no apologies for removing alcohol from his wines if they come in above 14%. Personally, that strikes me as a totally unnecessary intervention, but it’s hard to argue with the quality of what is in the bottle, and ultimately that is what counts most. The Napa Valley bottling includes purchased fruit from the valley floor and is typically a slightly more accessible wine, while the Howell Mountain is a much tougher wine that typically demands 20 years to enter its early peak. These Cabernets are for the patient, but make no mistake about it, in top vintages the Howell Mountain is one of the great wines, not just of California, but of the world. Readers who want to explore these wines without waiting several decades may want to start with the 2005 or 2007 Napa Valley bottlings, both of which are somewhat accessible at this stage. Tel. (707) 965-3642

Bright, deep ruby-red. Reticent aromas of cassis, dark raspberry, leather, fresh blood and pepper (my first sample showed a whiff of adhesive tape). Supple on entry, then a bit peppery and dry in the middle; has texture and flavor intensity but this is very backward and unyielding for this cuvee. Finishes with drying, rather clenched tannins but no heaviness. This will require patience, but it's unlikely to develop the personality or sweetness of the Howell Mountain bottling.