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DUNN VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON HOWELL MOUNTAIN 2010 Napa Valley. 1 x chipped capsule
DUNN VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON HOWELL MOUNTAIN 1992 (1) Napa Valley. scuffed label. chipped wax capsule
DOMINUS ESTATE 2005 (2) Napa Valley. u. 1 x bn.
The flagship wine comes from their high elevation vineyards on Howell Mountain. The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain possesses stunning minerality as well as sweet notes of ink, acacia flowers, blueberries and blackberries. Thick, unctuously textured and full-bodied with terrific concentration and density, it should drink well for two decades. October 2014 Drink: 2014-2034 WA 95
What makes the 1992 California Cabernet Sauvignon vintage so incredible is that one of its hallmarks is the voluptuous, opulent, and succulent nature of the fruit. In Dunn's offerings, that translates into wines that are massive and rich, but with sweeter, more expansive, chewy mid-palates...20-30 year wine. WA 97
8 bts. per lot $1,400 - $1,600
405 PAHLMEYER PROPRIETARY RED 2010 Napa Valley. 4 x scraped label Mocha, espresso, cloves and blackberry jam are some of many nuances that emerge from the 2010 Red Blend. A deep, rich wine, the 2010 boasts stunning aromatics, beautifully chiseled fruit and fabulous overall balance. I sense a slightly less sweet, overt style than in previous years, yet at the same time, there is plenty of richness in the glass. I suspect the 2010 will still be going strong at age 20. Today, it is flat-out gorgeous. The 2010 is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030. December 2012 WA 95+ 5 bts. per lot $1,000 - $1,200
406 SPOTTSWOODE CABERNET SAUVIGNON ESTATE 2012 Napa Valley. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet colored and opens with a nose that is just begging to be drunk, featuring warm cassis, charcuterie, molten chocolate, wild mushrooms and roasted nuts with nuances of cigar box, incense and menthol. Medium-bodied, the palate reveals beautiful intensity and depth, sporting very fine-grained, exquisitely ripe tannins and finishing with plenty of savory layers and a peppery kick. October 2018 Drink: 2020-2045 WA 99 2 bts.
DUNN VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON HOWELL MOUNTAIN 1997 (1) Napa Valley. u. bn. scuffed label The enormous 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a super-powerful, fabulously-concentrated, 50-year wine. Aromas and flavors of blackberry/cassis jam, minerals, and subtle oak are found in this extravagantly rich, gargantuan Cabernet Sauvignon that should age effortlessly for half a century. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050. December 2000 WA 95 DUNN VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON HOWELL MOUNTAIN 2005 (1) Napa Valley. scuffed label. chipped wax capsule Dense purple in color and still looking like a barrel sample, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain has a nice, cedary, new saddle leather-infused blackcurrant richness, outstanding purity, medium to full body, sweet tannin and a layered, lush texture. The level of concentration is impressive. I don’t think there’s a wine taster that could tell whether this is 13.8% or 15.8% alcohol, given this level of richness. This wine is certainly accessible, but probably won’t hit its prime for another 5-7 years, and like most Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignons, it will have a good 30+ years of longevity. (Keep in mind that his 1982 is just now hi"ing that peak of quality to my palate.) June 2015 WA 94 JOSEPH PHELPS VINEYARDS INSIGNIA PROPRIETARY RED WINE 1996 (1) Napa Valley. wrinkled label
This is one of the vintage’s greatest wines. Dense purple and youthful, with a glorious nose of earth, blackcurrants, sweet black cherries and incense, the oak is pushed way in the background, as it is in all of the Moueix wines, and the result is a wine of terroir, of great originality and authenticity. This full-bodied classic from Dominus can be drunk now, but really won’t hit its prime for another 4-5 years and last at least another two decades or more. June 2015 Drink: 2019-2040 WA 98 DOMINUS ESTATE 2006 (1) Napa Valley. Very deep garnet-purple colour. A wonderfully perfumed nose of violets, crushed blackberries, black cherries, mace and cloves leading into some smoked meat and mocha aromas with swirling. Very structured on the palate with high acidity, a medium to high level of fine tannins and a full body providing plenty of flesh in the mid-palate. Very long layered finish. WA 96 3 bts. per lot $700 - $900
410 DOMINUS ESTATE 2011 Napa Valley. JS 93 3 bts. per lot $600 - $800
411 DOMINUS ESTATE 2010 Napa Valley.
Aged 22 months in 100% new French oak, this blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot reveals a powerful core of red and black fruits, dusty, loamy soil, lavender and a hint of toast. I would not describe it as elegant, but rather, it is a big, backstrapping, Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine that should continue to drink well for 15 or more years. November 2013 WA 95
Composed of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, the stunning, full-bodied 2010 Dominus boasts an exceptional perfume of hoisin sauce, licorice, underbrush, forest floor, plums, black currants and jammy cherries intertwined with hints of cedar, baking spices and oak. Full-bodied and voluptuously textured, the 2010 is on a slightly faster evolutionary track than the 2009 (somewhat of an anomaly for these two vintages). This exquisite as well as prodigious 2010 can be drunk young, but it should age effortlessly for 20-25 years. Bravo! WA 100
4 bts. per lot $1,200 - $1,400
4 bts. per lot $1,300 - $1,500
per lot $600 - $800
408 CAYMUS CABERNET SAUVIGNON SPECIAL SELECTION 2011 Napa Valley. A brilliant wine, and one of the stars of the vintage, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection boasts aromas of blueberry pie, blackberries, cassis and white flowers. It is a terrific success for the vintage. Drink: 2013-2025 WS 94 WA 95 4 bts. per lot $800 - $1,000