2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Sourced from a single vineyard, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 1.5 % Petit Verdot, 1.5 % Saint-Macaire (an obscure grape from southwestern France), 1% Carménère and 1% Cabernet Franc. The nose is all blueberries and bay leaves at first, later developing hints of cassis and sage, all nestled in soft notes of cedar and vanilla, while the full-bodied palate is nicely concentrated and softly tannic, with enough grip to suggest more than a decade of aging potential.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is an incredible wine, and it flirts with perfection. Full-bodied and concentrated, it has flawless balance and elegance as well as just textbook Howell Mountain notes of blue fruits, cassis, violets, graphite, and background oak. I love its tannins, it has remarkable purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. It has some appeal today yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and should have over two decades of longevity.
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain offers lovely brightness and energy, all in a mid-weight style that is both appealing and surprisingly approachable for a young Howell Mountain wine. Sweet dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice, tobacco and lavender are all beautifully lifted in the glass. This is an especially gracious, polished Cabernet from Howell Mountain. The 2019 has so much to offer. Best of all, it should drink well with minimal cellaring.