Clark Claudon Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
As I've written before in this blog about this wine, we've been collecting this Howell Mountain classic since our Napa Valley Wine Experience 1999 when we first met Tom Clark and Laurie Claudon-Clark and hosted them at one of our wine producer dinners.
We have collected and maintain a vertical collection of this wine consisting of a dozen and half vintages dating back to their inaugural 1993 vintage. We have tasted this in several Napa Cabernet wine flights with a consistent outcome - often a blockbuster crowd pleaser.
Deep inky garnet colored, full bodied - explosive aromas of ripe dark berry fruits, big mouth-full of forward complex, balanced, silky smooth, polished spicy black currant and edge of red berry fruits, with mouthful of floral violets, tones of dark mocha and turning to a predominant forward accent of sweet smooth spicy sweet oak that lingers on and on and on the smooth tannin finish, revealing the two years aging in new oak barrels. This was more vibrant and expressive than earlier tastings.
The 2004 Napa growing season was condensed with early bud break, warm days, cool nights and one challenging heat spike. The result was a small harvest of intense, flavor packed fruit from an unusual, but exceptional year that is showing and drinking well and should last another decade.
RM 93 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=229261
www.clarkclaudon.com
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