2015 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
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The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a classic Dunn wine all the way. Graphite, dried herbs, menthol, lavender and new leather open first. Time in the glass brings out more of a red-toned fruit character, with strong floral overtones. Red cherry/plum fruit, blood orange, cedar and mint take shape with some coaxing. There's plenty of supporting mountain tannin, but it is beautifully woven into the wine's fabric.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The result of a small-yield vintage (frost, shatter, then hail, all before the end of May), Dunn's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain boasts a gentle cedary overlay and lovely cherry scents—it still shows some fresh-fruit character to go with hints of dried herbs. It's medium-bodied, smooth and silky. While still firm enough to go another decade at least, it's starting to really drink well.
Coming from tiny yields and a hotter vintage, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a much more up-front, sweetly fruited, sexy wine compared to the more brooding, Bordeaux-like 2014, although there’s no shortage of structure and tannins in this 2015. Giving up a great nose of kirsch liqueur, blackcurrants, sandalwood, sweet tobacco, and exotic spices, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, elegant texture, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. There’s just a subtle firmer edge to the tannins here, which is common in the vintage, that I suspect will always be there, but the fruit is beautifully pure, it has remarkable sweetness (ripeness, not residual sugar), great balance, and it’s just a singular wine in the lineup. It’s going to drink well for 30+ years.