Duckhorn 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

As cabernet sauvignon fruit goes, Howell Mountain is one of the pinnacles of great farming. This wine offers everything you want in mountain-grown Napa cabernet of this caliber - blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry, blueberry, shades of raspberry black cherry, boysenberry and lingonberry, along with judicious use of French oak including vanilla with light back notes of tobacco and cocoa and a great acidity to make this a food friendly wine. It is both viscous, dense and lively, and smooth. Comprised of mainly cabernet sauvignon, there is also 9% merlot and 3% cabernet franc added in. It was aged in nothing but French oak for 18 months (new barrels) then six months of neutral barrel aging, and then a laborious time of bottle aging before release. Ultimately the result is a beautiful drinking experience. The tactile smoothness is absolutely breathtaking. This is the reward for wine built to age that has some time on it, and reflects the prudent hand-holding of the wine – time well spent for a wine that is money well spent.

ORIGIN: Napa Valley
ALCOHOL: 14.5%
PRICE: $105 (750 ml)
SCORE: 96 POINTS

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Duckhorn 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

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