Howell Mountain

From a driving standpoint, we've not been planning these trips well. But, today, we are leaving Diamond Mountain District to go to the Howell Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA). It's basically a trip back out to Silverado Trail and then heading north on our choice of Howell Mountain Road or Glass Mountain Road. In either case, these areas were ravaged by the Glass Fire in the summer of 2020.

Howell Mountain was the original "sub-appelation: within Napa Valley earning that status in 1983. Many of the vineyards there have been around since the late 19th and early 20th century and were heavily planted to Zinfandel. In recent times, and certainly since the establishment of Howell Mountain as an AVA, it's been an area where Cabernet is undoubtedly king. And, it has historically been the home of some of the biggest, highest alcohol content Cabernet you will find anywhere.

In fact, one of the most famous wines produced in Howell Mountain is from Dunn Vineyards. Once known to be the biggest, most alcoholic wine on any wine list it graced, proprietor and winemaker Randy Dunn saw no reason that any wine other than fortified wines needed to have alcohol content above 14% ABV. So, while his wines would have been last on a wine list sorted from lightest to biggest and boldest 30 years ago, today, with the trend toward bigger and bolder wines, his would like appear just beyond the middle of the red wines on the list.

The terrain up here at elevations roughly between 1400 and 2400 feet is quite rough. It's undulating and a bit craggy and often quite gravelly among the volcanic rocks many of which have eroded into soil. For the grapes with southern and southwestern exposure, they are stressed both by the summer sunlight and by the tough terrain. What this often produces are highly tannic as well as quite acidic from the cool nights Cabernet. Many find them less approachable young, but the best Howell Mountain Cabernets from the late 1980s and early 1990s are likely still in their prime.

The typical Cabernet from up here has a look like India ink when first poured. Looking viscous and incredibly dark, you'll tend to notice savory spices on the nose such as sage and bay leaf. On the palate, the signatures are chocolate, lavender, black licorice, anise, and often lots and lots of graphite. These are big wines sufficient to take on the heartiest steak that has ever come off the grill. And while much of the fruit will have faded, it's definitely worth comparing, for example, a 1990, 2000, and 2010 of the same bottling to see how it evolved. None will disappoint if you like Cabernet.