1990 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
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Tasting notes
Good dark red. Brooding aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, spices, licorice, menthol and chocolate, plus a hint of game. Plush and fine-grained but a bit medicinal and still clenched, with its black cherry and menthol flavors continuing the rather medicinal theme. Very rich and full in the mouth but distinctly savory and a bit unyielding. Finishes with mounting tannins that initially detract from the wine's sweetness. But the wine grew sappier with air and I raised my score. Will this rather powerful vintage loosen up further and show more personality? It still has years to go. (13% alcohol)
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is rich, powerful and explosive. Initially a bit on the wild side, the 1990 needs time to fully open up, but when it does the fireworks start. Both deep and broad on the palate, the 1990 is a direct, voluptuous wine. Next to some of the other vintages, the 1990 is maybe a bit one-dimensional, but that dimension is nevertheless one of extreme beauty. The 1990 remains a bit monolithic. I wonder what time will bring here.
While Dunn's Cabernets slumped in quality in the difficult vintages of 1988 and 1989, the 1990s exhibit exceptional richness, depth, power, and ferocious tannins. The massive 1990 Howell Mountain exhibits huge tannin, but immense concentration. The richest Dunn Cabernet since the 1984s? Anticipated maturity: 1999-2020. At this early stage, it does not appear to be as super-concentrated as Dunn's wines from the early and mid-eighties. It is slightly more tannic. It does possess a tell-tale mineral, cassis, flowery nose, and a rich, full-bodied, dense, highly extracted, tannic personality.
The 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is the most forward of the three wines in our last flight. It’s a wine I bought heavily years ago. Sweet scents of saddle leather, cedar, mint, coffee and dried flowers lift from the glass. The 1990 has aged well, but it is also starting to fray around the edges. I would not wait too long.