“This is a beautifully lush, plush and structured mountain wine, layered in tensely focused raspberry, clove and vanilla. Surprisingly velvety, with soft, integrated tannins, it bursts in black pepper that lasts on the palate, inviting steak au poivre to join in. Drink now through 2020.”

“Sourced from vines that date back more than 100 years on the Beatty Ranch, this wine is appropriately robust, a big, syrupy concentration of baked blackberry and plum. Soft in tannins and structured, it finishes with a complexity of vanilla and black cherry.”

“Aromas of blackberries, cherries, and plums mingle with hints of white pepper, vanilla, and cola on the nose. A sip delivers flavors of bramble fruit, cherry, and plum that flow into traces of spice, earth, and toasty vanilla. A plush red with lively highlights, enjoy a bottle with a cheddar burger.”

“Howell Mountain Vineyards, Howell Mountain (Napa Valley) Cabernet Sauvignon ($75): Howell Mountain Vineyards is everything you want and expect in a serious mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon: Rich and powerful, full-bodied, and with ample tannin for the long haul. This is a wine to wait on. At this stage it is muscular and menacing, but with time its abundant dark fruit character will emerge in what I expect to be a fabulous expression of Howell Mountain. This vintage was challenging, but Howell Mountain Vineyards succeeded in making a Cabernet for the ages. It was awarded a platinum medal at the recent Sommelier Challenge International Wine Competition.”

“Rich and concentrated with black cherry, cassis and plum; silky, balanced and juicy with long, rich flavors; showing spice, mocha and soft herbs.”

“Soft and dusty, this is an herbal, elegant Cabernet from big mountain fruit, the tannins well-managed. It starts out with an intensity of black fruit followed by sturdy structure and a finish of chocolate and coffee.”

“Fruity and juicy in blackberry cherry, this mountain-grown Zin has soft, integrated tannins and a backbone of spiciness, white pepper mostly, and dark black licorice, that winds, its way through the finish.”

“This is a wine that’s packed with pure flavors, showing dark cherry, red cassis and blueberry fruit with attractive spice notes. It shows more elegance than power, reflecting the coolness of the vintage, and lacks the jammy character found in some warmer vintages. Made from 100 year-old vines planted at the turn of the century.”

“This is a young wine, a very young wine. It is not a pop-and-pour, and won’t be for a decade or more. It took a full 24 hours with an open bottle before it started to unwind. Once it did, though, the patience was well-rewarded. The powerful nose is redolent with black currant, eucalyptus, and tobacco leaf. Black fruit, black currant, black plum leads, black cherry follows, all supported by sweet remarkably tight tannins. Black tea, leather, tobacco and eucalyptus all leak out around the edges an linger on the finish. Even with a full day of air, this has more to offer. If you really need to drink it now, decant aggressively as far ahead of time as possible. It would be better, though, to put it in the cellar with a time lock set for 2025. Drink well aged, with dry-aged beef. Highly Recommended. ”

“Saturated ruby. Intense, smoke-tinged aromas of dried cherry, cassis, violet and cured tobacco, with a peppery nuance adding lift. Shows very good energy and focus on the palate, offering bitter cherry and fruitcake flavors that expand and sweeten with air. The smoky note comes back on the finish, which is firmed by youthfully chewy tannins and sharpened by a bright mineral quality.”

“A bouquet of blackberries, plums, cherries, and walnuts greets the senses. The palate unfurls flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, and bing cherry with accents of chocolate, cola, and nutmeg. Balanced tannins and rich flavors make this a very inviting wine. Enjoy now with lamb or give it some time in the cellar.”

“In the glass, the wine exhibits a medium-dark color with a slight purple hue with bouquets of red fruit in the nose with subtle notes of anise and black cherry cola commonly found in Howell Mountain fruit. On the palate, black currant and raspberry notes dominate the fruit while supported by subtle tannins and spice that provides an elegant, balanced mouth feel. In the finish, there are hints of hazelnut and dark fruit which linger 30+ seconds making it a perfect wine for the holidays to pair with dark fudge, chocolate, and other holiday treats.”

“Inky ruby. Heady aromas of smoky dark berries, licorice and candied flowers, with subtle vanilla and cracked pepper notes in the background. Stains the palate with intense blackcurrant and cherry liqueur flavors that pick up smokiness and a floral aspect with air. Quite suave, with smooth tannins shaping a long, fruit-dominated finish. While I have no doubt that this wine will reward another decade of cellaring it’s pretty enjoyable right now.”

“As big as you expect a Howell Mountain Zinfandel to be, offering rich, deep blackberry, currant, chocolate, licorice, bacon and cedar flavors that are sweet and dry at the same time. It’s not just powerful in flavor, it’s wonderful in structure, with refined tannins and balancing acidity. A minor criticism is some heat from alcohol, but that’s the nature of ripe Zinfandel.”

“TOP ZINFANDEL OF THE YEAR (2013 Runner Up) Aromas of boysenberries, cherries, blackberries mingle with suggestions of anise and clove on the nose. Flavors of blackberry, cassis, and black cherry come together with notes of walnut and sweet spice on the palate. A rich, supple wine that will pair nicely with food now or age well in the cellar, it’s a Cab drinkers’ Zinfandel.”