1985 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
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I went through my Dunn phase 6-7 years ago, just when we were getting Vinous started. I tasted the wines often, bought maybe more than I should have for my own cellar, and really tried to get inside these powerful mountain Cabernets. A recent bottle of the 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain took me back to those days. I don’t know why – I have had the 1985 a number of times – and yet I was shocked by its concentration, its aromatic intensity, and its sheer youthfulness. Dark, deep and beautifully resonant, but not at all heavy, the 1985 still possesses extraordinary richness while remaining very much classic in feel. Graphite, cured meats, smoke, licorice, incense and grilled herbs add tons of Howell Mountain savoriness. Dunn sourced fruit from four vineyards for the 1985: Trailer, Harry Frank, Beatty Ranch and La Jota. The 1985 spent 30 months in French oak. Production was 3,000 cases. Readers lucky enough to own it can look forward to another 15-20 years of glorious drinking. What a wine!
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Medium red. Wonderfully mellow, complex nose offers subtle perfume of raspberry, caraway seed and spices. At once fine-grained and tight, conveying a claret-like character to its flavors of redcurrant, raspberry and spices. Not a particularly fleshy or sweet wine but boasts lovely precision, energy and grip. Perhaps most impressive today on the very subtle, slowly mounting finish, which features a firm dusting of tannins and outstanding energy and lift. This still has a decade or more of development ahead of it. (13% alcohol)
Dunn’s 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a real bombshell. Dark, sensual and beautifully layered in the glass, the 1985 is one of the more voluptuous Dunn Cabernets of this era. Graphite, smoke, licorice and graphite add nuance, while silky tannins add to an overall impression of finesse. This is another dazzling wine from Randy Dunn. The 1985 will continue to provide thrilling drinking for another two decades. The 1985 rarely fails to deliver. On this night, it is pure magic.
The 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain impresses for its exceptional balance and total sense of class. Iron, graphite, smoke, tar, incense and dark red fruit are all alive in the glass. Striking, powerful and muscular to the core, the 1985 has it all. The 1985 softens a bit with time in the bottle, but it has more than enough depth to drink for another 10-15 years, if not longer. This is another great bottle of the 1985.