Lot 61 2024 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

WINE FUTURE BOTTLING AND SHIPPING LATE APRIL

Howell Mountain Cabernet for just $299/case? 

The rarest bird on the bulk market, I have been trying to close a Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon for years and, while there have been some fantastic Lots, the pricing was, and remains, stratospheric in comparison to the offerings of many other rockstar appellations. So, I finally just bit the bullet and paid the full tariff, 2.5X the cost of the rockstar appellations these days and effectively what I would have paid for it after the 2020 fires dried up the bulk market (making this close to a breakeven proposition for me so consider this a gift :-)

But, enough of my complaining. There is obviously something special about Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that allows for it's pricing power; it's combination of lean, yield-reducing volcanic soil and 1500- to 2500-foot elevation plains makes it probably the most naturally and broadly hospitable place to grow high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon in California.

And everything that makes Howell Mountain great is here with Lot 61 (which, under normal circumstances, would have given it the "Lot 60" designation but I loved that Sauvignon Blanc sooooo much), concentrated-yet-sensuous, voluptuous and powerful all at the same time. The 2024 vintage is proving out to be fantastic for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in general and, in particular, Howell Mountain with power and vibrancy on full display. These wines are going to drink great in their youth and age beautifully as well.

Lot 61 2024 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon features no-expense spared winemaking from a producer renowned for producing sub-AVA Cabernet's from various rocky, high-elevation mountain sites around Napa Valley. They sell through their tasting room, website and mailing list only and, as this is club offering, I can't give you a comparable price but, given their entry-level Napa cab is $125/bottle, I can't imagine it's under $150/bottle and likely considerably more.

Trust me, this is a hell of an offer at $299/case!

Deep purple with an inky core and just a hint of magenta around the rim. The bouquet is dense, pungent, and brooding with seasoned oak aromas underpinning the meatiness. After a couple swirls, the wine opens with aromas of blackberry compote, ripe plum and plenty of chocolate that complex with white flowers, crushed red rock, spicy cherry kirsch, roasted tobacco leaf and caramel. Super-sensuous and open knit with a full array of black, red and purple fruit. Fleshy, robust and voluptuous on the palate with big-grained and chalk-laced tannins beaming through black fruit, red rock, and chocolate wit leather and tobacco laced throughout. Sexy, voluptuous and powerful with huge length and fantastic structure, this is archetypal Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from fantastic 2024 vintage; indeed, the more I taste these 2024's the more I love this vintage! 

95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec 
65-70% new French oak
15% alc.
Bottled