2020 Robert Craig 'Howell Mountain Cuvee' Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley
A higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has found its way into this wine. Dark, deep, nuanced and supple, the 2020 HMC displays immediate Howell Mountain power in the glass with lavender, thorny fruits and mineral at the fore. It has a long life ahead in the cellar, though it will show beautifully if opened in the near term.
Back in 1992, when Robert Craig founded his eponymous winery, wines from the mountain appellations of Mount Veeder, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, and Diamond Mountain weren’t nearly as fashionable as they are today, or as polished and drinkable. Craig was a visionary in a sense, not only because he recognized the inherent value of mountain fruit, but because he insisted on making wines that could also show well on release. No easy task. Even today the vineyard team at Robert Craig works hard to make sure every row they’re picking is optimally ripe, a key factor in avoiding tannic, green wines. Our hat is off to them and to Stephen Tebb for making such beautiful reds.