Epic 99 Pt Vintage,: 2018 Dunn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Dunn Vineyards makes only two wines: the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, we have them both, and they’re from one of the BEST vintages EVER in Napa Valley. 

Wine Spectator blessed Napa’s 2018 vintage with a nearly-perfect 99-point review, a “spectacular year, with wines that are rich and dark, and very terroir-driven." And Decanter praised this year declaring "the 2018 vintage in Napa Valley belongs in an echelon with the finest of the past two decades."

Dunn Vineyards took that spectacular vintage and ran with it, producing two spectacular wines.

The 95-point 2018 Dunn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a combination of the winery’s Howell Mountain estate fruit and some fruit sourced from Coombsville, the Napa AVA that Wine Enthusiast calls a “rising star.” 

100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine has been described by some of the world’s most important wine critics as “an absolutely magnificent wine"  (International Wine Report) and "a gorgeous wine," "beautifully done," and an "absolute delight" (Vinous). The wine offers immediate pleasure, silken lusciousness, with attractive red cherry, plum, sweet tobacco, dried flowers, and cedar nuances. 

The 97-point 2018 Dunn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountaincomes from 42 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon Dunn has farmed on Howell Mountain since 1979. Vinous’ Antonio Galloni has said that “in top vintages, the Howell Mountain is one of the great wines, not just of California, but of the world.” Since 2018 was a top vintage, perhaps THE top vintage in the recent past, it wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to say this is one of the greatest wines in the world

Along with the high praise of 97 points, Vinous says its “purity of the fruit is remarkable.” This outstanding Cab shows powerful aromas of red and black fruit, licorice, cassis, and some spice notes. The palate is elegant, deep, and with a long and persistent finish. This Howell Mountain wine will reward the patient collector who lets it evolve over the next decade or more.

Winemaker Randy Dunn, who owns the winery with his wife Lori, got his start working for Charlie Wagner at Caymus. At the iconic winery, he learned quality winemaking, the kind that catapulted Caymus to one of the most popular and recognized wine brands in the US. He took that knowledge and acquired a special piece of land on Howell Mountain, becoming one of the most important leaders to identify the unique qualities of Napa Valley mountain fruit

With today’s offer—that includes a 23% discount on the Napa Valley bottle—you have the chance to purchase both of these Napa Cab lovers' dreams from one of Napa’s finest vintages. If you collect Napa’s finest, these will be among the stars of your cellar. If you aren’t a collector, but just a lover of excellent wine, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any finer than these 2018s from Dunn.

2016 Whitehall Lane Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon