Wines

The 2021 season began with very little rain, and spring and summer were mild. Interestingly, because the heavy wildfire smoke during 2020 decreased the vineyards’ exposure to sunlight, the vines were set up to give us lower yields in the new season. So for 2021 there is less wine but just phenomenal character. This Cabernet Sauvignon is generous with ripe blackberry on toast and earthy notes of soil, sage, pine, and graphite. The midpalate is weighty and the finish delivers great length.

The balance between nobility and approachability are the continued hallmarks of the La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot. Sourced from vineyards with pedigrees dating back to the 1800s, this wine continues to carry the torch of Howell Mountain’s greatness. This vintage is a strong example of why Merlot belongs in the mountains. Notes of huckleberry, blueberry, walnut, dried flowers, and sage weave a vibrant, supple tapestry that goes on and on.

“The 2021 W.S. Keyes Chardonnay opens with a delicious nose of apple, pear and musky jasmine blossom. Orchard fruits carry through to the palate, which intensifies with lemon zest then deepens into hazelnut and a little gunpowder. Unmistakable Howell Mountain minerality is infused throughout. The complex balance of fruit, floral and savory creates a wonderfully fresh
and evocative bottle."
Chris Carpenter, Winemaker