Peak Performance Howell Mountain wines rise above tHeir napa coMpetition. { By Chris Gill } Within the 16 sub-appellations that comprise the Napa Valley AVA, the various wineries situated in the val- ley itself along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail in Oakville, Rutherford, and St. Helena have attracted most of the attention from wine drinkers over the past few decades. However, many of Napa’s most fascinating and (arguably) best wines are made in the five mountain sub-appellations, located in the Mayacamas Mountains to the west (Diamond Mountain, Spring Mountain, Mount Veeder) and Vaca Range to the east (Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain) rising high above the valley. Most of my favorite Napa Cabernet Sauvi- gnons are produced on Howell Mountain. My first experience with these wines was a stun- ning 1984 Dunn Howell Mountain, which showed me that California wines could truly compete with Bordeaux’s finest while main- taining a distinctive California mountain ter- roir that was unlike anything else I had ever experienced before. That singular bottle of Dunn Howell Mountain made my previous California Cabernet experiences seem one- dimensional and ordinary. Although Howell Mountain was established as the Napa Valley’s first sub-appellation rela- tively recently, in 1983, the area has been home to vineyards since the 1870s. Charles Krug planted 100 acres of vines on there in 1884, and numerous other vintners followed suit when they recognized the distinctive, highly palat- able character of the region’s wines. Unfortu- nately, many Howell Mountain vineyards never recovered from the Prohibition years, and the territory was overlooked from the Thirties until the Seventies, when a handful of vintners like Randy Dunn, Mike Beatty (Howell Mountain Vineyards), and Bill Smith (La Jota) took note of Howell Mountain’s unique climatic and geo- graphic characteristics. Several factors distinguish Howell Moun- tain from the Napa Valley floor. The combi- nation of altitude (most Howell Mountain vineyards are 1,400 to 2,000 feet above sea level), warm, fog-free days, cool nights, and nutrient-deficient, rocky, dry soil conditions that include fast-draining decomposed volca- nic ash and red clay with high iron content causes the grapes to grow in compact clusters of small berries. This results in highly concen- trated, intensely flavored juice and a higher ratio of skin contact that produces ideal tan- nins for prolonged aging. As one of the modern day “pioneers” who played an important role in establishing the Howell Mountain sub-appellation, Randy Dunn continues to make wines that embody the distinctive Howell Mountain style. Randy’s son Mike started assisting with the 1997 vin- tage and joined as full-time cellar master in 2000, which guarantees that the Dunn legacy will continue for many years. Dunn wines pro- vide tremendous aging potential, and many of Randy’s earliest efforts from 1981 and 1982 are drinking in peak form today. While most Dunn Cabs need at least 15 years to shed their tannins, the wines Randy and Mike are produc- ing today are more approachable in their youth while remaining very age-worthy. The 2007 and 2008 vintages are particularly stunning. Offering a different historical perspective of Howell Mountain wines, Mike Dunn and his wife, Kara, produce outstanding Petite Sirah wines sold under the Retro Cellars label. These are the product of the four-acre Park Musca- tine vineyard, which was planted in the Fifties and previously a source of grapes for Ridge, Stag’s Leap, La Jota, and Elyse wines. Retro Cellars’ Petite Sirahs deliver dark, brooding old-world character with a satisfying, savory palate that’s an alluring contrast to most mod- ern syrupy, jammy Petite Sirahs. Aloft is a new Howell Mountain Cabernet produced by Napa’s legendary Mondavi fam- ily, vineyard manager Jim Barbour (Chiarello, Hundred Acre, Grace, Pride, and others), and winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown (Schrader, Outpost, and Maybach). Aloft’s first release is their 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, and it’s a stunning debut, delivering the distinctive Howell Mountain minerality, dusty tannins, and an incredibly deep, complex palate. Available only in limited amounts via mail- ing list, Robert Foley’s Howell Mountain Cab- ernet Sauvignon is Howell Mountain’s best- kept secret. If you’re a fan of Foley Claret, this wine is a must-have for your cellar as it repre- sents the ultimate expression of his singular style. At its best, it can compete with or even outshine Harlan Estate and Screaming Eagle for a fraction of the price. Because Howell Mountain is far removed from Napa’s slick tasting rooms and the end- less procession of tour buses and limos, tasting opportunities are limited. The annual Taste of Howell Mountain event, however, allows wine enthusiasts to sample a wide variety Howell Mountain’s best offerings in a single sitting. Visit howellmountain.org for more details.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 17:39:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015