Winemaker Note

The 1995 is densely concentrated and shows a dark ruby core moving to a rim of magenta and garnet. It displays a high intensity of aromas, featuring dried blackberries and cherry, cassis and over ripe plums. Its secondary aromas show some development and include a bouquet of bacon, game meats, leather, violets, and cedar. The palate offers pleasure with a delicious attack of sweet blackcurrant and licorice spice. Oak characters are well integrated with some background flavors of vanilla, toffee, mocha, and cinnamon. Some tasters noted a green or vegetal aspect to the wine with descriptors including thyme and green tomato. Earth characteristics ranged from iron-rich and compost to graphite. Most considered this wine to be youthful, with its high concentration of tannins, full body and fairly high levels of acidity. It seemed a difficult wine to grade because of the level of competition, almost every taster offered a tasting window from 2012 onwards.

96 Wine Advocate

The 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is similar in all respects to the Napa Valley, but somewhat heavier in the mouth, with an aggressive tannic bite, and more length. It possesses mineral-tinged blackberry and cassis fruit, massive body, and extraordinary purity and length. It should not be touched for 12-15 years. It will undoubtedly live through the first half of the next century.