Double Gold Medal & 94 points awarded to our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Franc

We are pleased to announce that our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Franc received a Double Gold Medal & 94 point rating from American Fine Wine Competition.

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“In 2016, Howell Mountain experienced an even and balanced growing season. The near perfect growing conditions created some of the best fruit we have ever seen in this region. Full clusters with medium sized berries produced grapes with focused fruit and integrated tannins commonly present in Howell Mountain fruit. With the steadyheat in the late summer, the fruit was able to easily reach maturity and was harvested in late-October.”

Gold Medal awarded to our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon!

We are pleased to announce that our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon received a Gold Medal from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!

Click here to see the full list of winners

“In 2016, Howell Mountain experienced an even and balanced growing season. The near perfect growing conditions created some of the best fruit we have ever seen in this region. Full clusters with medium sized berries produced grapes with focused fruit and integrated tannins commonly present in Howell Mountain fruit. With the steadyheat in the late summer, the fruit was able to easily reach maturity and was harvested in late-October.”

90 point rating awarded to our 2016 Beatty Ranch Zinfandel

We are pleased to announce that our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2016 Beatty Ranch Zinfandel received a 90 rating from Wine Enthusiast:

“Structured tart red cherry and orange peel accent a robust grip of tannin and weighty power in this bold wine, made in small amounts from the mountain site. Black pepper, licorice and cola contribute spicy seasoning against the bigger notions of fruit and texture.”

- VIRGINIE BOONE, WINE ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE

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Two-Puffs & 91 point rating awarded to our 2016 Beatty Ranch Zinfandel

We are pleased to announce that our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2016 Beatty Ranch Zinfandel received a coveted 2-Puff and 91 point rating from Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine:

“Lively, well-ripened, blackberry fruit gets a nice assist here from a carefully measured complement of creamy oak, and, while the wine shows a good sense of substance and depth from front to back, it is not beholden to overblown ripeness and stays in fine fruity focus throughout. Its supple beginnings are followed by a bit of sinewy stiffness owing to its combination of evident tannin and slightly elevated acidity, but it has the pieces to age handsomely and a few years on the cork will see it through to a more polished maturity”

Gold Medal & 96 points awarded to our 2015 Petit Verdot!

We are pleased to announce that our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2015 Petit Verdot received a Gold Medal and 96 points from the American Fine Wine Competition.

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“Hauntingly dark in the glass at first site, our 2015 Howell Mountain Petit Verdot exhibits the classic characteristics of this highly tannic, black fruit grape. The light crop and smaller than normal berries produced a dense, chewy, full structured wine with firm tannins. On the palate, the hints of blackberry, blueberry and earthy, cigar box and leather notes fought its way through the tannins. This wine continues its dark fruit decent into the palate and finishes with a long mouth-drying finish with firm tannins and gripping acid, begging for this wine to be cellared up to 12-15 years.”

Gold Medal & 93 points awarded to our 2015 Cabernet Franc!

We are pleased to announce that our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Franc received a Gold Medal and 93 point rating from the American Fine Wine Competition.

Click here to see the full list of winners

“Our 2015 Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc is ruby red in the glass and exhibits a lush, clean nose with black cherry, blackberry and sweet black plum fruit notes with a hint of underlying green pepper. The wine has a soft, velvet -like, texture up front with bold spiced blackberry and juicy cherry avors. As the wine settles on the palate, there are subtle tannins that support this fruit, presenting a structured wine with black currant, dried cranberry, and black spice. The wine lingers on the palate, with a long dark fruit nish. This wine needs 3-4 years in the bottle and can be enjoyed over the next 12 years.”

Two-Puffs & 92 point rating awarded to our 2016 Primitivo Clone Zinfandel

We are pleased to announce that our Howell Mountain Vineyards 2016 Primitivo Clone Zinfandel received a 92 point rating from the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine.

As is the case with both of its equally well-made cellarmates, this is a very deep and impressively filled wine that is rife with concentrated, ripe raspberry and black berry fruit, yet it goes a step further when it comes to complexity and is accented with sympathetic elements of spice and dusty soil. It is, at present, a bit tight at the finish with both acidity and tannin making themselves known, but it will relax and round into fine shape with a few years of age, and we expect it to evolve and improve for at least a half-dozen more.