2006 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
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Tasting notes
(15.2% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Highly complex yet discreet claret-like nose combines blueberry, cassis, violet, licorice, tobacco and menthol. Dense and savory, with its impression of medicinal reserve leavened by tobacco and earth notes. Conveys an impression of low acidity but quite concentrated and not short on energy. The blending grapes brought more sweetness, noted winemaker Capiaux, who described 2006 as "an up-and-down year with some heat spikes," adding that the harvest continued through the month of October. Finishes with big, dusty, building tannins and outstanding length. Early on, I preferred the 2007 to the 2006, but today I like the balance of the '06 more.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The only 2006 I tasted is a re-evaluation of the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, which is performing better now than it did last year. A dense purple color in addition to plenty of creme de cassis, crushed rock, blueberry, and brioche-like notes are found in this full-bodied Cabernet. It avoids the rustic tannins of this vintage, and exhibits good sweetness and purity of fruit. Consume it over the next 15-20 years. One of the superstar estates on Howell Mountain, winemaker Sean Capiaux is the force behind these impressive reds. Capiaux also makes his own wines (almost all Pinot Noirs) under the Capiaux Cellars label. Those cuvees will be reviewed in the February, 2010 issue in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino, and Sonoma report. Tel. (707) 965-2898; Fax (707) 965-3010
(15.6% alcohol; includes bits of merlot, malbec, petit verdot, carmenere, St. Macaire and cabernet franc) Good bright ruby-red. Aromas of crushed blueberry, menthol, licorice, cocoa powder, violet and sweet oak; shows a distinct mountain berry intensity on the nose and palate. Sweet, dense and chewy, with a youthfully medicinal character to the dark raspberry, dark chocolate and vanillin oak flavors. This impressively deep wine finishes with big but sweet tannins. Incidentally, winemaker Sean Capiaux prefers this estate's 2006s to its 2005s, describing them as "more typical of what we seek in California."
Saturated medium ruby. Brooding aromas of crushed cassis, spices and black pepper. Dense, superripe and sweet but quite primary, even a bit youthfully medicinal, with youthfully tight flavors of dark berries, spices, licorice and menthol. Not yet complex but juicy and powerful wine that displays noteworthy early sweetness. The tannins arrive late, allowing the fruit to expand on the back. A classic expression of Howell Mountain, from the Del Oso and Amphitheater Vineyards.