Byron C Mayes

8.9

Dark reddish purple. Inviting nose and medium-bodied palate of red berries, pomegranate, and a hint of toasted nuts on the moderate finish. Medium tannins. Medium acidity. A most typical example of mid-range Washington. The midpoint between New World fruit (but dark fruit) and Old World structure makes for an excellent American food wine. Pair with anything from burgers to roots to prime rib. Just do so by 2027. — 5 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.2

Medium golden yellow. Lush nose with brioche, warm green apples, lemon curd, little straw and honeysuckle. Medium acidity (6/10) and medium to medium plus bodied. A little stoney on the palate with citrus rind and touch of yeast. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2025. — 6 years ago

with India

Kirk F

9.0

Cedarman is blend of Rattlesnake and Dragon vineyards, a zin with a 20% helping of petite sirah. On pnp this exhibits an intoxicating nose and you can just sense the plush palate ahead. Dark cherry, brambly and full bodied. This is a great value and delicious. Oh, and it went great with 🍕! — 7 years ago

Ben Madonna

9.5

Super rich and smooth. Still great fruit for a wine this old. Dark purple color and lingers on the palate. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose; huckleberry, olallieberries, plums, blueberries, baking spices and fresh violets in dark floral bouquet. The body and tannins are M+ Huckleberry, ollieberries, plums, blueberries, black raspberries, raspberries, baking spices, spice, cedar, leather, pipe tobacco, crushed dry rocks, powdery volcanic minerals, good round acidity and nicely polished finish. Nice wine with potential for more as it bottle ages. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This Sauvignon Blanc spends a year in some new oak but mostly used oak and a 1/3 of it in concrete eggs. They also hold it back in bottle for another 1-1 1/2 years before they release it. On nose, great tropicals; melons, passionfruit, pineapple, banana peel, green apple, underripe Bosc pear with skin, citrus, citrus blossoms, jasmine and yellow florals. The mouthfeel is creamy & oily. It's very clean, pure, has precision and high mellow acidity. Green apple, green melon, citrus candy, peach, white peach, pineapple, guava, passion fruit, subtle light spice, delicate refined soft chalkiness with amazing body, texture and finish. Photos of their owner Ron leading the tasting. The concrete eggs used to ferment this Sauvignon Blanc. Their metal frog band adorning their grounds and those beautiful Howell Mountain vines sprung back to life. — 9 years ago

Eric

9.4

Lead on the nose and palate. Delicate as a MF. Clean finish. Stunning! — 10 years ago

with S.R.Alexander

Emily Kresie-Harrington

9.1

BIG wine. Black currant, baked blackberry, black fig, kirsch, cedar, sandalwood, coffee, big on structure and acid. Wish that all back labels were so informative! — 10 years ago

Noble Cloche

9.5

Spectacular. Perfect example of Howell Mountain CS. Velvety smooth on the palate with an exquisite finish. Brilliantly integrated oak perfectly compliments the fruit. If you see this on market for a good price, snap it up! — 11 years ago

Ron R

9.5

Black as the night in the glass. Explodes on the nose and palate. Heady notes of kirsch, cinnamon raspberries ooze from the glass. Palate is weighty with overripe cherries and hints of maple syrup. I also detect a slight herbaceous note. Finishes sweet and viscous. Big score for a big wine. — 6 years ago

with Anne-marie

Mark Flesher

9.4

Opened tonight. And, I feel like a broken record saying that here is ANOTHER great 2011 considering the "damned vintage" that this one received press for being. I have 43 more 2011 Napa wines and I have a feeling that I'm going to be writing the same thing another 43 times. Not powerful, but these wines truly show the complexity that Napa cab CAN be. Nose of iodine, black licorice. Very front of this wine is sweeter black cherry giving way to an herbal infused middle (getting more dried basil with a hint of oregano and cumin). The red clay terroir is unmistakably present here through the middle and finish, which is usually more present for Ponente only at the very finish. The wine finishes with black cherry and black licorice dominated notes. I have a feeling that this wine is still on the way up. Has a few more years until it is at the top of the hill, but drinking OH SO WELL right now. — 7 years ago

Mathew Iestyn Parry

8.9

2015 vintage on 12 Jan 2018. Not as remarkable as the 92 points label would have you believe, but still deliciously drinkable. Could not taste the promised “hints of almond and walnuts.” Am imbecile. — 8 years ago

Jon Ruyle

9.5

Blueberries on the beautiful nose, the distinctive Howell Mountain fruit gives way to briar, minerals, and graphite over an hour in the decanter. Hard not to love this! — 8 years ago

with Eugene

Felisha Amjad

9.5

Had the 2012 on July 29, 2016. This was perfection! — 9 years ago

Sarah Milsow-Guenther

9.4

Wow. This does not taste like an 04, lots of dark fruit still left on this one. A little tartness to it almost. Could still age this one for a bit. Decanted this for about 6 hours. — 10 years ago

Michael Schamis

8.9

Deep, brooding aromas of black fruits and forest floor. Surprisingly light on the palate. Juicy flavors of plum and blueberry with only a hint of earth and herbs. Soft, round tannins lead the easy, medium finish. — 10 years ago

Martin Redmond

9.1

Very pale slightly green tinged straw color with appealing petrol, stone fruit, lime, wet stone, and a hint of lychee aromas. On the palate it approaches medium-bodied and is dry, clean, focused, and well-structured with peach, lime, passion fruit and mineral flavors. Long persistent finish. 12.5% alcohol. Made from 40 year old vines. SRP - $27 — 11 years ago

Joseph LaPanna

9.0

Bright ruby color with dark brambley fruit, toasted oak and graphite on the nose. Ripe dark fruit, black currant, blackberry, cedar and an undercurrent of black truffles. The finish is long and soft with hints of toffee, vanilla and white pepper. Balanced acidity and great tannin structure. — 11 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.0

Gamey on the nose and slightly overripe or very very ripe fruit. Not my vibe. It’s good. Don’t get me wrong, but overpriced. #washingtoncab #washington #washingtonwine #cabfranc #merlot — 6 years ago

with Rosario

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.1

Bought this Howell Mtn. Zin at the Turley Winery in Amador County on the Shenandoah Wine Trail (the Sierra Foothills in CA. Black cherry fruit and gravel spice nose. A full mouth of dark cherry, cassis and spice taste with a chocolate vanilla finish. Pairs well with pizza on a warming summer evening in our lovely backyard on the green. — 6 years ago

with Franca and Jill

Steve North

9.1

On the drier side. Good with pork and steak — 7 years ago

Keith Lite

9.2

In a past life i think i lived on Howell Mountain. The wines from this region are just so spectacular. On the nose cherry, chocolate, coffee and that Howell earth that I’ve not found anywhere else. Leather damp earth and a thick and chewy finish. — 7 years ago

Sean Genn

9.6

So aromatic and complex with great weight on the palate — 8 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.3

Absolute chocolate. This is one of the finest noses on a wine. The dark berries and chocolate are seductive and alluring. The mouth feel of this wine is huge. Long finish, amazing complexity and texture. You taste the sun and soil of warm Napa days that the hillsides are filled with..... — 8 years ago

with Brad, Mike and 2 others

Matthew Davison

9.2

Dark and spicy on the nose. Dark fruit and spice on the palette. Super tasty!!! — 9 years ago

Eric Guido

9.4

The nose showed crush black cherry with minerals, floral tones and a distinct savory richness. On the palate it was truly intense yet smooth with notes of cherry, sweet herbs and dark chocolate. The finish showed more of its youthful tannin, giving the fruit a dry yet still wonderfully concentrated persona. The 2012 Ciel du Cheval should spend a couple of years in the cellar for the best experience, as I am quite excited to see where it’s going. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Blue fruits, plum and violets on the nose. Dark blue and black fruit, minerals and fleshy soft finish. — 10 years ago

Ali Shirazinia

10

UNREAL! Something I picked up a few years ago on our trip to Napa. — 11 years ago

Anita Krutel Colburn

9.6

We bought this at Pride on our anniversary trip in 2011. Soooooo gooood! — 12 years ago