Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 [1.5L MAGNUM]
(Napa Valley, California) - [JD 96] [DM 96] [VM 95+] [WS 95] [WA 93-95]

About the Winery:
Since 1979, Randy and Lori Dunn have owned and operated Dunn Vineyards and continue to produce one of the most highly acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignons from Howell Mountain and the Napa Valley.

About the Wine:
Led by Bill Smith, Randy and a few other winemakers and grape growers proposed and defined the distinctive Howell Mountain AVA. The AVA's boundary starts at an elevation of 1400 feet, so even when it is cool and foggy on the valley floor, it is sunny and breezy up on the mountain. Our wine epitomizes the Howell Mountain Cabernet: deep concentration, bold, massive, ultra rich and elegant.

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Coming from tiny yields and a hotter vintage, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a much more up-front, sweetly fruited, sexy wine compared to the more brooding, Bordeaux-like 2014, although there’s no shortage of structure and tannins in this 2015. Giving up a great nose of kirsch liqueur, blackcurrants, sandalwood, sweet tobacco, and exotic spices, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, elegant texture, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. There’s just a subtle firmer edge to the tannins here, which is common in the vintage, that I suspect will always be there, but the fruit is beautifully pure, it has remarkable sweetness (ripeness, not residual sugar), great balance, and it’s just a singular wine in the lineup. It’s going to drink well for 30+ years. 2022-2052." (Mar 2022)

96 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"Wonderfully fresh and mineral-intense. Exotic brown spices join layers of black tea and bergamot, intertwined with a salty thread of minerality. This medium to full-bodied wine remains youthful, reticent, and highly intellectual, with lifted acidity. Notes of bay leaf and bay laurel are intertwined with kirsch. Pair it with something smoky, like smoked duck or lamb. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from multiple parcels at 550-670 metres in elevation, the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks with 3-4 daily pumpovers and aged for up to 32 months in 100% new French oak." - Jonathan Cristaldi (Aug 2024)

95+ Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain) offers a striking balance of intense richness from the low yields on the mountain and the intensely mineral/savory qualities that are such signatures of the Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet. Graphite, smoke, grilled herbs, creme de cassis, menthol and iron build into the huge finish. The tannins are there, but they are buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit." - Antonio Galloni (Dec 2018)

95 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A bright and juicy style, with lots of freshly crushed loganberry, boysenberry and black currant fruit jumping to the fore, followed by briar and sweet tobacco notes on the finish. Solid grip throughout. This is really coiled for the long haul. Best from 2022 through 2040. 2,000 cases made." - JM (Mar 2019)

93-95 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain looks sensational, as most of the better efforts do in this vintage of relatively low yields. Huge sucrosity, a big, fat, juicy mouthfeel, a dense black/purple color and plenty of creme de cassis, blackberry, camphor and licorice are all present in this layered, rather highly extracted and rich wine. It should drink well for 30-40 years." - Robert M. Parker, Jr. (28th Oct 2016)