2019 Dunn - Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Napa MAGNUM (1.5L)
Randy and Lori Dunn have owned and operated Dunn Vineyards since 1979, building a reputation for some of Napa Valley's most powerful and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. Randy played a key role, alongside winemaker Bill Smith and other local growers, in proposing and defining the Howell Mountain AVA itself, and the family's wines remain closely tied to that mountain's identity. The winery's signature bottle, hand-dipped in red wax, has become as recognizable as the wine inside it.
This bottling contains only fruit grown on the Dunn family's own Howell Mountain vineyards, which sit above 1,400 feet in elevation, well clear of the fog that often blankets the valley floor below. The shallow, well-drained soils of volcanic ash and red clay stress the vines, producing small, thick-skinned berries with intense concentration, a hallmark of the appellation's structure and depth.
The wine opens with dark currants and black cherries layered with violets, graphite, and exotic spice, moving into blueberry compote, cedar, and mocha on the palate. Full-bodied and remarkably polished, it carries fine tannins through a long, refined finish. Pair it with braised lamb shank, peppercorn-crusted filet mignon, or aged Stilton.