2019 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Full bottle all of 1,621 g. Grown at 1,700 to 1,820 feet. Impenetrably dark, blackish crimson. Very ripe Cabernet nose initially with a herbal overlay and no heat on the end – overall the wine is appetisingly fresh in fact – but there's a very slight suggestion of something charred on the very end. The finish is neither alcoholic nor drying but it's not that persistent – at this stage anyway. There's lots of pleasure to be had here, so long as you are not prejudiced against ripe Napa Cabs. I would guess it will gain complexity with time. (JR)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, with small proportions of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It's ripe and rich, with plenty of cassis, hints of cinnamon and cedar and nuances of bay leaf on the nose. Full-bodied and velvety, it's remarkably easy to drink, finishing mouthwatering and long.

Lead pencil and dark fruit with wet earth. Purple fruit, too. Full-bodied with velvety tannins. Solid as a rock and gorgeous. Black olives at the end. Big and attractive. Needs time to open, but already beautiful.