DUNN CABERNET SAUVIGNON HOWELL MT 2019

Howell Mountain's AVA boundary begins at 1,400 feet elevation — above the valley fog line — where shallow, volcanic ash and red clay soils force Cabernet vines to produce small, thick-skinned berries of fierce concentration, and it was Randy Dunn who put this appellation on the map starting in 1979. Now led by his son Mike, the estate farms 42 contiguous acres on the mountain exclusively for this bottling, aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. The 2019 opens with dark currant, crushed plum, and violet, backed by graphite and smoldering tobacco, with dusty, fine-grained tannins and a long, iron-laced finish.