February Release - limited quantities available only through March 6, 2023
Our February library release features a vintage for the record books– 2004 was one of the earliest harvests in memory. Budbreak occurred earlier than usual and heat spells throughout the growing season led to an early harvest. Regarded as a very good, warm vintage with smaller-than-average yields. With less than 200 cases produced, there wasn’t much wine to begin with– which has made this wine hard to get over the past 20 years– but we held on to the last few, precious cases.
Planted in 1976 next to our 125-year-old stone winery, the Cabernet Franc vines of our Winery block are regarded as some of the oldest of its variety in all of Napa Valley. Making this wine even more special– the 2004 vintage was also the first year winemaker Chris Carpenter blended and released this classic Bordeaux variety (95% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) which balances the fruit, botanicals, and minerality of Howell Mountain.
Even after 20 years of bottle age, the 2004 Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc features aromatics of anise, dark cherry, bittersweet chocolate, and intense minerality that transition to bright flavors of pomegranate and red cherry which will linger on your palate. This is a wine aged perfectly for this moment and one that you can enjoy today.
