2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
(15.1% alcohol; from minerally red soil) Bright ruby. Complex, ripe nose melds cassis, iron, bitter chocolate, mocha, tobacco and gravel. Lush and intense, with an impression of almost peppery energy to the blueberry and mineral flavors. Generous but not thick, and not at all a sweet style. This has a relatively low pH of 3.45. Finishes juicy, long and quite suave, with an even dusting of tannins. A very successful wine.
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Notions of earth, mushrooms, underbrush, black cherries, and charcoal intermixed with good minerality characterize the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. The most backward and austere of this quartet, this Keyes Vineyard (formerly the Liparita Vineyard) cuvee is full-bodied, but broodingly tannic. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. While this is one of the most stunning wineries in Jess Jackson's portfolio, production is very limited, making the wines difficult to find. Production in 2006 ranged from 158 cases of the Diamond Mountain, to 669 cases of the Mt. Veeder (which happens to be my favorite). Lokoya's wines are made by talented winemaker Christopher Carpenter, who also makes the wines at Cardinale. Available through Vin Lux Fine Wines, tel.(866) 462-4641; Fax (866) 853-1707; www.vinluxfinewines.com