Dunn Vineyards Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Dunn Vineyards Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Rick w/ Randy and Kirsten Dunn
at Howell Mtn estate

Fellow Pour Boy, wine buddy, Bill and Beth C visiting from Charleston, we dined out for lunch at the 64 Wine Bar and Restaurant in Naperville. 

Due to Covid precautions, the wine by the glass metered serving machines were not in operation. Not finding anything enticing or inspiring on the BTG (by-the-glass) menu, including in the wine flights, Bill ordered from the wine list a bottle of Dunn Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon. 

We dined on burgers with truffle fries and salads for our lunch. 

We visited the Dunn estate and vineyards up in Angwin atop Howell Mtn during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience back in 2008.

Dunn Vineyards Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

This release was awarded 95 points by Vinous and Wine Spectator and 93-95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

This label is known and distinguished by its dipped wax seal top rather than foil packaging. 

This is a wine legendarily known for its long life. We hold two decades of this label in our cellar most of which we have not yet opened, opting to hold it for a long term. Robert Parker wrote that it should drink well for 30-40 years, Wine Spectator notes drinking window out to 2040.

Taking into account its reputation for a long lived wine, neither of us had ever, or very seldom tasted this label so young. 

Dark garnet and purple colored, medium full bodied, at six years, this was surprisingly approachable with its concentrated full bright expressive fruits of black currant and black berry fruits with hints of spicy clove, smoke and notes of sweet tobacco, creme de cassis and what I initially thought of as 'menthol' but later realized it was what one of the pundits called camphor, turning to supple tannins on big finish. 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2638109