Dunn, Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Moutain, Howell Mountain

2025 New Years Eve (Kevin and Vicki's house) : Decanted only 15 minutes, drank a medium-sized glass over about 2 hours. Initially the leather and red fruit stood out. Think horse saddle, raspberry and strawberry, classic traditional Napa cab. With time in glass, the palate became darker, more savory, more of what I think Dunn Howell represents. Very good today.

1995 vintage

New Years Eve Celebration (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)) : Very dark red/purple color. Splash decanted for about 20 minutes before serving. Drank a glass over 2 hours. Wow, it's been fifteen years since I last had this. It was mpessive back then and so it is now, even a tad better. Such pretty red fruits, juicy raspberry and strawberry, dill, black cherry, moss and fine dried soil, and pipe tobacco. On the palate this offeres a mix of red …

1995 vintage

As part of the three decades of Dunn HM tasting . Terrific wine and still easily holding up for its age . Great nose ,palate and finish but surprisingly not as great as the ‘85 which was the WOTN.

1995 vintage

Deep purple, primary, a bit flat. Medium nose, blueberry, cherry, vanilla, plum. Medium+ on the palate with a medium+ finish. Not sure if I had a blah bottle or if these are shutdown at the moment. Not what I was expecting.

2016 vintage

Notes from PNP (was better on day 2). Black/red color. On nose, cassis, black cherry with medium body, medium+ tannins and medium+ acidity with a long, drying finish. With more air, baking spice and tobacco noticeable on nose. Still fruit primary. Will drink remaining bottles 2030 or later (although fine to open now with a long decant). 93-94

2016 vintage

(median value of available pro reviews)

2016 vintage

Tasted side by side with the 1985. This was clearly the fresher. Yet, there was a distinct lack of fruit or anything else for that matter. Again, a long decant was called for but not provided. I guess it’s just not ready, even if the tannins are more resolved and silkier than the ‘85.

1995 vintage

Friendly bouquet with ripe dark berries. On the palate juicy and round, ripe fruits, sweet licorice, full bodied and supple with friendly acidity and tannin. Delicious and complex wine.

2016 vintage

Earthy. Old leather. Complex and needed 2 hours to open up

1995 vintage

My first time tasting a Dunn wine, and probably my last. The wine is excellent, but Dunn has raised its price to a level that I cannot afford. I decanted my wine and let it sit for several hours. A did my tasting a day later. The 2016 Howell Mountain is a very sturdy wine that is at the beginning of its drinking window. It is not overly ripe, nor is it over oaked. It was a real pleasure to …

2016 vintage

Third of three bottles in my cellar. Dark garnet with no browning. Full bore Napa bouquet. It was pop, double decant and pour. Unlike the prior bottle, this one seemed tight and I regret not having opened it several hours ahead of time.

1995 vintage

Classic Dunn Cabernet. Even at Nearly 30 years of age, this wine is still vibrant, lip-smacking and not fully mature yet. Cassis, blackberry, cigar box, baseball glove leather, spice, #2 pencil and a hint of mocha on the finish. There's a sweet floral note as well. The tannins has softened - and sweetened! - considerably, but are still substantial. I think it will evolve for another 4-5 years and then hold steady for another 10. This is a monumental wine …

1995 vintage

Well integrated and balanced with a good structure and acidity.

1995 vintage

Very light colour, perfumey nose with light red fruits, farm, mushroom. Palette is similar, secondary and tertiary flavours are starting to overtake primary fruit. This bottle will not get better imo. 1hr decant, returned to bottle for another 1hr before serving.

1995 vintage

Classic Dunn HM but a bit leaner than expected. The cassis fruit was still there, as were the notes of saddle leather, lead pencil, spice and a strong mineral edge. The tannins were softening, but I wouldn't call them silky smooth yet. There was a solid backbone of acidity and finish as long and lean. I'll be interested to see how this wine develops over the next few years. There's plenty of structure, but I think the fruit may be …

1995 vintage

In great shape, classy nose of cherry cassis and some leather. Cherry palate, good balance and energy, med+ finish. Really tasty, but not at the level of the Montelena, Dominus, etc. I’ve had recently. But: these 90’s Dunn corks are all garbage.

1995 vintage

Wow! Thanks to Steve K for sharing the retirement wine I got him. Decant for 3+ hours. Dark red color with ample bricking. Rustic, Bordeaux like on the nose and palate. Lost some depth but lovely texture and the age shows nicely.

1995 vintage

Musty nose is screaming barnyard. The nose is beautiful and very Boudreaux-line, and this continues across the palate. There's a unique purity here that's both impressive and compelling. You just want to continually revisit this to see "where it is" at any point in time. Nearly perfectly balanced for its age, I can't see this getting any better, but I suspect it'll hold its place for at least a few years. I have had a few Cali cabs that are …

1995 vintage

I really enjoyed this but wasn’t a typical Dunn for me. Excellent traditional California Cabernet, but without the intense tannins I am used to from Dunn. Surprising approachable with a 1 hour decant

2016 vintage

The last time I had this was three years ago and scored it 92 while grumbling about the cork breaking despite the wax capsule. This time I used the Durand with no problem. Dark red, with no browning, this wine was outstanding. We had it with a grilled steak and paired it with the '95 Dominus (which I scored 92). Over the years, I have waited for Dunn's wines to come into their own as RP predicted, opening many too …

1995 vintage

PNP. Inky purple red color and similar flavors. Super fresh fruit with some acidity and tannins, already approachable. Enjoyable but still a little young for me. Should do better with another 5-10 years in bottle.

2016 vintage

Napa evening with one bottle of Bordeaux (semiblind): 2016 Dunn Howell Mountain: A bit thin, lacking power. I have only had the 2013 before, but it was better. Wait 5 years or so: 92 pts. 2017 Beringer Private Reserve: A really good wine with depth and seductive fruit, without being over the top. 95 pts 2018 Gallica - I really liked the 2008 but the 2018 was just so-so: 91 pts 2019 Chateau Issan: Not convincing. Loved the 2018 but …

2016 vintage

2+ hour decant Too young. Very tight, a bit ripe still. Dunn’s are made for the patient person, so wait till the 10 year mark for the true complexity to come out. Tasted before we opened an 11 year old Cimarossa Rian Vineyard, and that was far better. Do I think this will be better with time? Absolutely; great vintage, great fruit, great winemaker. But right now it’s just not showing enough complexity. The fruit at least is outstanding, just …

2016 vintage

One hour decant. Deep dark lush magenta color. Plum, prailine, sage, licorice, mushroom, and subtle milk chocolate and minerality. Smooth, tongue drying palate. Firm, lower intensity tannins on the longish finish. Absolutely a Bordeaux-leaning Napa, which is not my style, but this is very well made. Would have been even better with a 3+ hour decant. Went perfectly with my duck at Torc in Napa.

2016 vintage

Still a youngster but showing spectacularly well with medium dark fruit and rarely found sous bois note in California wines. Will hold last bottle for at least 5 years.

1995 vintage

Too young; should have waited a few years

2016 vintage

Dark ruby Decanted for a hour and opened great Got better as night went on Hold for future opening Always a go to for a special dinner

2016 vintage

Get together with a friend and decided to put the 2008 vintage next to the 2016 vintage to see how they compare. Dark ruby fruit - currants, blackberry, dark cherry, and plum. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth/concentration. Nice flavors of cassis, some spice, cocoa, plum, and a mineral/graphite component. Fairly long finish but a little tannic. Decanted for a couple hours and drank over a couple more. Improved a little with time. A nice wine but I was hoping for …

2016 vintage

Napa Valley - November 2022; 11/16/2022-11/19/2022 (Napa Valley) : Tasted at Dunn property on the mountain with Mike Dunn. The 2016 Howell was at the top of the wines tasted on the trip for all four of us. Nose of cola and plums. Palate brought baking spice, blackberry and more plum prior to a very long finish. The mouthfeel was very smooth with fine tannins with nice acidity. Very approachable - definitely more so than the 2018 which is also …

2016 vintage

Drank alongside the Dunn Napa 1995, still youthful, lots of dark fruit, currants, wet slate, well integrated tannins, long finish, has years to go

1995 vintage

Most vintages of Dunn Howell Mountain fit the profile of my favorite wines: vertically structured with balanced acids, medium(+) body, moderate ABV, a pronounced nose, zero hint of over-ripeness, judicious oak, a finish that won't quit, and aroma and flavor profiles heavy on the graphite, herbs, and chocolate as well as intense mountain fruit. The 2016 has all that going for it plus more elegant, softer tannins and a more open posture than these wines typically offer in their youth. …

2016 vintage

Cut from the same cloth as the 2012, the 16 Dunn Howell mountain shows more black tea, blackberry compote and a refined structure that begs for bottle time. It needs a long decant to soften or a good 10 years sideways before accessing.

2016 vintage

I guess maybe there is some bottle variation on these because this wine definitely feels young and fresh. It's not completely a baby, but I'd say it's just entering into drinking window now and for my tastes it would probably be better with a few more years. Drinks very nicely though and overall just an enjoyable wine which stood up well to a Bordeaux three decades older.

1995 vintage

Oh damn...this is spectacular! Incredible wine right now with black cherry, cassis, and dark currant on the fruit profile. Nice balance right now between primary and secondary flavors. Notes of savory herbs, licorice, minerals, and that typical eucalyptus. Still has some backbone to it after 27 years of age with firm tannins and extremely long finish. Great now but will easily last another decade. Still one of my all time favorite wines.

1995 vintage

Unfortunately flawed. Not rated

1995 vintage

Crazy good. Too young to drink now, but strong tannins and acidic backbone show what is to come for this beauty. W-dad at Le Bar Beouf. 95 now, with massive upside for the patient.

2016 vintage

Cali Cults in CLT thru the decades (MacDonald, Scarecrow, Bond, Schrader and more) (Charlotte, NC) : Opened 3 hours before serving and decanted immediately. Re-decanted due to tightness for 1.5 hours before back in the bottle. Muted nose at 3 hours but rich, balanced flavors on the palate. Despite the lack of aromas initially this wine was fantastic immediately but opened meaningfully – reaching greater heights – as the night wore on. Well-balance between primary and secondary notes, with a …

1995 vintage

Brought to Duke's Chophouse in Hickory NC by good wine friends. Highly recommend with the caveat that this is still very young. Approachable with a long decant but at this point more hold then drink - with proper cellaring this has easily 15+ more years to go and right now even with a long decant is probably at least 2-3 years away from true maturity. I can very easily see an additional at least 1-2 points with further maturation, softening …

2016 vintage

Dunn's 2016 Howell Mountain is lovely, cool, and understated with a nose of blueberry, graphite, lavender, and cedar. Accessible for a Dunn of this age, fine tannins and regal, drink starting 2025.

2016 vintage

Still young, needs another 4-5 years in bottle

2016 vintage

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon, although still very young. Medium plus in body with medium acidity. Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, tobacco, peppercorn, chocolates, graphite and dark coffee. Dry on the palate with nice complexity. Medium plus on the finish with grippy tannins and tangy cherries. Good right out of the bottle and better after 2 hours of airtime. Not very big, but it's nice to see this moderate alcohol version of a Napa …

2016 vintage

Decanted for 2 hours then poured back into bottle left open for 4 more hours. Nose of blackberry, currant, pencil, green pepper and violets. Tastes of dark fruit with accents of savory green herbs, stony mineral, cedar, and dust. Medium acidity and medium plus tannins. Long finish. Serial tasting at this stage suggests 3-5 hours of air required to open fully.

2016 vintage

Florals and herbs in the nose. Dark cherry, florals, licorice, with leathery tannins on the long finish. More savory than sweet. This is right in my wheelhouse.

1995 vintage

Very nice deep blueberry and caramel notes.

2016 vintage

Opened for a birthday dinner (Beef Wellington). Decanted it as the cork was completely rotten and let it rest for 45 minutes. Color was slightly on the brown side. Decent though not overwhelming nose. This tasted like a perfectly nice old claret— soft and warm and very good with food. It does not feel like it has either fruit nor the tannin to improve from here and I think it should be drunk up.

1995 vintage

Opened alongside a ‘61 Beychevelle. Incredibly smooth after a 30 min decant (partly necessitated by the splintering of the cork), with plenty of red-black fruit and vibrant acidity. The most ready example of this bottling that I’ve had.

1995 vintage

Cab franc-ish nose and up front, flowers and black fruit and bell pepper. Concentrated, thick, not particularly complex core. Finishes long on both tannin and acidity. Not bad but I got way thrown off thinking this was a $30-$40 Chinon rather than a $150 Napa Cab... maybe that shows I should just stick to Pinot...

2016 vintage

Brief notes from memory. Deep ruby. Loads of fruit, black fruits, blueberries, cassis and cedar. Brooding yet shockingly approachable with soft tannins, finishing quite long. Yes this is way too young but already showing well.

2016 vintage

Unfortunately corked. I do not like the wax seal on Dunn wines. Every time I open an old one the cork shatters and I have to strain the wine into a decanter.

1995 vintage

75 minute decant. Very little sediment in the strainer, but the bottle had a film throughout. Touch of bricking. Layers of black fruits, red fruits, cassis, sage, Eucalyptus and sweet Oak. Very smooth, 25 second finish. Stayed fresh and lively throughout dinner. Still plenty of time on this one, but within its drinking window.

1995 vintage

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Dunn, Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Moutain, Howell Mountain

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