2021 O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
Nestled on a 120-acre hillside, the estate vineyard has matured over 20 years. With 29 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 6 acres of historic blending varietals, the vines thrive in three distinct vineyards: the Amphitheater, Rancho Del Oso, and Osprey's Nest. The 2021 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning example, boasting flawless balance, elegance, and textbook Howell Mountain characteristics of blue fruit, cassis, violets, and graphite, with a remarkable purity of fruit and a great finish.
Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is another impressive wine from O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery. Bright acid and beams of tannin run through a core of dark red/purplish Howell Mountain fruit. Potent yet refined, the 2021 is a fine effort. Blueberry jam, plum, lavender, chocolate and graphite all build into a huge, vibrant finish.
Decanter
Such an artfully crafted wine that is expressive of its Napa Valley character in its ripe and succulent red, black, and blue-toned youthful fruits and brawny power, backed by a kind of dizzying freshness brought on by a spine of racy, tangy, blood orange acidity and lifted violet notes. Iron, volcanic minerals, tilled earth, and fragrant herbs further accentuate Howell Mountain muscle. Soaring robust tannins are compact and superfine. Blackberry fruit, crème de cassis, and black currants all make appearances nuanced by conifer, tobacco leaf, and dark cacao.