Howell Mountain

Another gorgeous wine from Thomas Rivers Brown.  This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot that were co-fermented .  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, chocolate and baking spices.  Lush and rich texture on a medium to full bodied frame.  Very concentrated.  Black cherry fruit with cassis with underlying minerality.  Long finish.  Drinking youthfully but very well.  This should continue to mature for another five to seven years and be good for another ten to twelve more after that.  It will go well with roasts of all kinds.  

A wow red blend to be sure.  This has 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec and 5% Merlot.  Still young, this was pop and pour and rocking from the get-go.  Purple in color.  The nose is great with cassis, plums, cigar box, graphite, baking spice and slight cedar.  On the palate, this is full bodied yet very concentrated.  Powerful and intense.  Lots of cassis, some blueberries, plums wound with tobacco, chocolate and slight char.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  This kept evolving in the glass.  It probably won't peak for another five years or so and should

This is another new wine for me that is made by Thomas Rivers Brown.  The winery is owned by Joe and LeeAnn Blanton up on Howell Mountain in Napa.  Purple in color.  The nose is a bit dusty with cassis, black cherries, an interesting orange peel note, and mint.  With air, the fruit seems a bit darker on the nose.  The palate has firm tannins.  Plenty of depth although concentrated.  Cassis with underlying tea and leather.  Good balance.  Long finish.  I think this will still need another four to six years to really open.  It should be good for another ten to fifteen after that.  This will g

This is consistently one of my favorite Zinfandels.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight wintergreen, and sandalwood.  On the palate, this seems a bit lighter than prior years.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  Nice cherries and raspberries with some underlying bramble.  Good finish.  Drinking well right now, it probably should be consumed in the next eight to ten years.  It will be interesting to see if it develops more or puts on body.  It is actually very food friendly and will work with a wide variety of medium and heavier foods.  

This is a nice tale on Petite Sirah made from Howell Mountain grapes.  It is quite intense and will need some cellar time to reach full potential.  Inky purple in color.  Opaque and bright.  The nose is tight but has boysenberries, slight pencil lead and slight gravel notes.  On the palate, firm tannins.  Boysenberry fruit.  Very tightly packed.  Persistent finish.  It is quite tasty but clearly will have more to offer in five to ten years.  It should be best in seven to fifteen or so years.  This will drink better with food such as roasts, stews and casseroles.  If drinking soon, give it a

This is a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 29% Cabernet Franc.  Another project made by Thomas Rivers Brown.  This is a gorgeous Bordeaux blend.  I know that many critics have worried about the 2017 vintage and while the fires are a legitimate concern, I have been loving them and especially the Cab Franc and Merlot.  I loved this even more than the 2015 which I scored 97 (reviews are on this site).

Wow.  Gorgeous wine.  With time, this likely merits a 100 score.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is intense with cassis, blueberries, slight cedar, slight baking spices, and just a hint of Earl Gray tea.  Full bodied.  The fruit is ripe but not over the top.  Cassis, blueberries over forest floor with slight cigar tobacco.  This is already showing tight layering and lots of depth.  Firm tannins.  Long finish.  Of course, to get to peak, this will need at least a decade, but it is likely to drink very well young with a bit of air.  One of the best wines I tasted on a recent Napa trip.  It n

Always one of my favorite "value" Cabs in Napa.  It is usually a very concentrated wine that takes some time to unwind.  It probably needs to be cellared longer than i typically allow, but its just so delicious young too.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, raspberries, pencil lead, slight floral notes and damp earth.  On the palate there is an elegant concentration to the wine.  Cassis, black cherries with an underlying graphite/earth.  Firm tannins.  Long finish.  This has plenty of concentration that will need some time to unwind.  Perhaps five to seven - minimum.  A

Outpost Cabernet's probably don't get enough respect.  They are some of the top Cabs being made in Napa.  Plus, if you like the concentrated mountain fruit, look no further.  This is purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Shiny and bright.  The nose is dusty with black cherries, cassis and an interesting watercress note to it.  Not exactly green as much as crisp and clean.  On the palate, this is full bodied and complex.  A beautiful streak of acidity.  Cassis and tart cherries.  Long finish.  Medium tannins.  This is still young and will likely improve.  This bottle was consumed on a trip to N

This is a very nice Cabernet using mountain fruit which tends to be more concentrated than valley floor fruit.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is very nice with cassis, slight minerals, spice and a bit of floral notes.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  Concentrated cassis fruit with mineral undertones.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well right now but it should last easily for another five to seven years.  It drinks well on its own and should go well with roasted meats or fowl.