$ 74.99
97 points - limited
O'Shaughnessy makes one of our favorite blockbuster small-production Napa Cabernet from Howell Mountain - limited.
97 Points Wine Enthusiast "Editor's Choice": "This is such an outstanding wine at any price, but here we're talking about outstanding value as well. Notes of iron and crushed rock lead to a lengthy balance of juicy red fruit and clove. With small amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Saint-Macaire and Cabernet Franc, it shows a deft hand at blending, with lasting notes of black pepper and nuanced oak.”
93 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a fabulous wine that over delivers big time. Inky dark fruit, graphite, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice give the 2018 its distinctly savory, soil-driven personality. Time in the glass brings out attractive floral overtones. The tannins need time to soften, but there is a lot to look forward to. This is a very serious, polished wine. O'Shaughnessy's Napa Valley Cabernet remains one of the hidden jewels in Napa Valley."
...Betty O’Shaughnessy bought her property on Howell Mountain in 1996, and ever since 1999 has had the very talented Sean Capiaux making her wines. Her vineyards on Howell Mountain sit at a high elevation of just under 2000 feet in the red, rocky, volcanic soils the area is known for. I have always been a big fan of these wines, as they are full-flavored but incredibly pure and well-balanced."
$ 99.99
96 points - limited
A blockbuster small-production Napa Cabernet from Howell Mountain - very limited.
96 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The O'Shaughnessy 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain offers a slightly darker, earthier profile that carries beautiful black and blue fruits, charcoal, bouquet garni, and some obvious minerality as well as a whiff of espresso. It's rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully done. Drink it over the coming two decades. Based on 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% each of Merlot and Malbec, and the rest a mix of varieties, it spent 21 months in 80% new French oak."
94 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain) is a powerful, dense wine endowed with tremendous concentration. Even so, the Howell Mountain tannins are nicely tamed. Ripe black cherry, black plum, espresso, spice, leather, graphite and dried flowers give the wine its mysterious, somber feel. Readers will find a gorgeous Cabernet that offers superb depth, but also more plushness and early appeal than is typical of Howell Mountain wines. One of the most distinctive signatures of the Howell Mountain Cabernet is the significant presence of blenders - in this vintage, all seven of the Bordeaux red varieties. The blend is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Saint-Macaire, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Carménère."