Since 1972, Randy and Lori Dunn have been producing world-class cabernet sauvignon, well before the Howell Mountain AVA was recognized. Both their Howell Mountain and Napa Valley bottlings are always 100% cabernet. Lower in alcohol than their neighbors, these Napa Valley examples are more similar to fine Bordeaux, expressing chocolate, cassis, and black raspberry on the palate.
3232 Dunn Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2003 205
2369 Dunn Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA 2010 225
3233 Dunn Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 1998 250
3229 Dunn Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA 2000 275
1866 Dunn Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA 1998 350
4077 Terra Valentine, Napa Valley, CA 2013 70
5478 Barrage Cellars, AKA, merlot, Columbia Valley, WA 2010 75
4329 The Prisoner, Thorn, merlot, Napa, CA 2012 105
4815 Hawkes, Alexander Valley, CA 2011 110
3707 Nickel&Nickel, Harris, merlot, Napa, CA 2012 115
4340 Peter Franus, Napa Valley, CA 2012 120
4307 Keenan, Napa Valley, CA 2011 130
3772 Larkin, cabernet franc, Napa Valley, CA 2011 135
3774 Cade, Napa Cuvee, Napa Valley, CA 2011 136
4903 Faust, Napa Valley, CA 2012 140
3755 Shafer, merlot, Napa Valley, CA 2012 142
3281 Mount Eden, Estate, Santa Cruz, CA 2009 145
5900 Grgich Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2012 148
3738 La Jota, cabernet franc, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA 2011 150
5868 Viader, Dare, cabernet franc, Napa Valley, CA 2013 155
3286 Showket, Napa Valley, CA 2006 160
4920 Ghost Block, Oakville, Napa Valley, CA 2012 165
5278 Justin, Isosceles, Paso Robles, CA 2011 170
4810 Optima, Alexander Valley, CA 1993 180
3250 Snowden, Napa Valley, CA 2010 185
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CABERNET SAUVIGNON | BORDEAUX BLENDS
Diamond Creek was founded in 1968, and was California’s first project to focus on solely cabernet sauvignon, estate vineyards. Al Brounstein owns four significantly unique vineyards that produce tiny amounts of wine that are very elegant, yet rich and complex. Gravelly Meadow shows jammy blackberry, and hints of cedar. Red Rock Terrace produces more velvety tannins, with hints of cherry, mint and black currant. Volcanic Hill is the darkest of our examples, expressing cassis, violets, and a little smoke.
3224 Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow, Napa Valley, CA 2011 410
3225 Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace, Napa Valley, CA 2011 415
3226 Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill, Napa Valley, CA 2011 420
2368 Leonetti, merlot, Walla Walla, WA 2012 205
1811 Lewis Cellars, Napa Valley, CA 2011 210
4326 Nickel & Nickel, Quarry Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley, CA 2012 225
3534 Nickel & Nickel, Tench Vineyard, Oakville, Napa Valley, CA 2011 245
2715 PlumpJack, Estate, Napa Valley, CA 2011 235
4294 Arietta, Napa Valley, CA 2011 290
870 Dominus, Napa Valley, CA 1987 420
4914 Araujo, Altagracia, Napa Valley, CA 2011 310
4908 Quintessa, Napa Valley, CA 2011 345
4568 Joseph Phelps, Insignia, Napa Valley, CA 2010 370
1660 Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, CA 2010 435
2308 Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, CA 2011 450
1079 Staglin Family, 25th Anniversary, Napa Valley, CA 2007 445
4814 Silver Oak, Napa Valley, CA 2000 455
4813 Silver Oak, Napa Valley, CA 1989 475
3160 Opus One, Napa Valley, CA 2011 500
4811 Opus One, Napa Valley, CA 1998 830
4812 Opus One, Napa Valley, CA 1996 905
4338 Shafer, Hillside Select, Napa Valley, CA 2010 600
1475 Araujo, Eisele Vineyard, Napa Valley, CA 2009 725
3712 Ridge, Montebello, Santa Cruz, CA 1990 770
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RHÔNE VARIETALS
Sine Qua Non is a California cult winery known for its Rhône style blends, a tendency to avoid repetition, and a very limited production of wine that is highly difficult to obtain. Manfred Krankl and his wife Elaine founded it in 1994. Sourcing fruit from a wide variety of growers from year to year, and increasingly from their own vineyards has caused the winery to never make exactly the same wine twice. A tradition at Sine Qua Non is that each wine has a distinct name, label and often bottle style. Each label is hand made by Manfred with linocut art work of his own creation.
4526 Sine Qua Non, Stock, syrah, Central Coast, CA 2012 420
4523 Sine Qua Non, Stein, grenache, Central Coast, CA 2012 420
2269 Sine Qua Non, Dark Blossom, syrah, Central Coast, CA 2011 400
2270 Sine Qua Non, Dark Blossom, grenache, Central Coast, CA 2011 400
1618 Sine Qua Non, Five Shooter, syrah, Central Coast, CA 2010 355
1617 Sine Qua Non, Five Shooter, grenache, Central Coast, CA 2010 355
4527 Sine Qua Non, Stock, syrah, Central Coast, CA 2012 magnum 1,500
4523 Sine Qua Non, Stein, grenache, Central Coast, CA 2012 magnum 1,500
1619 Sine Qua Non, Five Shooter, syrah, Central Coast, CA 2010 magnum 1,250
1620 Sine Qua Non, Five Shooter, grenache, Central Coast, CA 2010 magnum 1,300
1034 Sine Qua Non, The Thrill of Stamp Collecting, syrah, CC, CA 2009 magnum 1,200
2791 Shane Wine Cellars, Valenti Ranch, syrah, Anderson Valley, CA 2011 60
4295 Cep, syrah, Sonoma Coast, CA 2012 65
1225 Neyers, Rossi Ranch, grenache, Sonoma Valley, CA 2010 80
2371 Penner-Ash, syrah, Willamette Valley, OR 2012 85
2820 Martinelli, Terra Felice, syrah, Russian River, CA 2008 110
4922 Lewis Cellars, Ethan’s, syrah, Napa Valley, CA 2012 115
4755 Peay, La Bruma, syrah, Sonoma Coast, CA 2009 135
4793 Greg Linn, Howling, syrah, Santa Maria Valley, CA 2009 145
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ZINFANDEL|PETITE SIRAH
4938 Turley, Juvenile, zinfandel, Napa, CA 2013 50
4434 Orin Swift, The Prisoner, zinfandel|cabernet|syrah, Napa Valley, CA 2013 95
5383 Seghesio, Rockpile, zinfandel, Sonoma, CA 2012 98
4327 Ridge, Lytton Springs, zinfandel|petite sirah, Dry Creek Valley, CA 2012 100
4937 Turley, Dragon Vineyard, zinfandel, Napa, CA 2013 105
3254 Biale, Black Chicken, zinfandel, Napa Valley, CA 2012 110
4933 Martinelli, Giuseppe&Luisa, zinfandel, Russian River, CA 2012 130
3282 Robert Foley, petite sirah, Napa, CA 2008 150
3513 Turley, Hayne, petite sirah, Napa, CA 2010 165
3163 Ridge, Geyserville, zin|carignan|petite sirah, Sonoma County, CA 2012 magnum 175
WINES OF INTEREST
5909 Mapuche, cabernet sauvignon, Andes Valle del Maipo, Chile 2013 40
4932 Renacer, Enamore, malbec|cabernet franc|cabernet, Mendoza, Argentina 2012 55
3205 Birchino, Bechtold vineyard, cinsault, Lodi, CA 2013 60
3817 Matthiasson, refosco, Napa Valley, CA 2012 70
2758 Louis Antoine-Luyt, Quenehuao, pais, Maule Valley, Chile 2011 80
2274 Flowers, Perennial, pinot noir|syrah, Sonoma Coast, CA 2011 85
3167 Tempier, mourvèdre, Bandol, Provence 2012 110
3487 Torbreck, The Struie, shiraz, Barossa Valley 2011 115
4419 Achaval Ferrer, Quimera, malbec|cab franc|merlot|cab, Mendoza 2011 130
3132 d’Arenberg, The Dead Arm, shiraz, McLaren Vale 2010 135
1508 Loimer, Dechant, pinot noir, Langenlois, Austria 2007 145
5076 d’Arenberg, Coppermine Road, cabernet, McLaren Vale 2002 150
5077 Clarendon Hills, Kangarilla, grenache, Adelaide Hills 2004 165
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