2011 Duckhorn Vineyards Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
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The unique climate and soils on Howell Mountain are the key to the appellation’s success in producing powerful, age-worthy wines. Duckhorn Vineyards has sourced grapes from this distinctive region for more than a quarter century and has crafted a Howell Mountain bottling since 1989. Over the years, we have increased our commitment to this appellation with the purchase of two spectacular vineyards, Candlestick Ridge (28 acres) and Stout Ranch (36 acres). To encourage further complexity, we bottle-age this wine a year longer than our other wines prior to release. As a result, our Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon offers excellent structure and deep color. This wine is suitable for long-term cellaring.
Wine Review Online
95
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot; Cooperage: 100% French oak château-style barrels (60 Gallons); Age of Barrels: 95% New, 5% Second Vintage
Winemaker Notes
A true mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, there is an unmistakable wildness to this wine—both in its robust structure and in the character of its fruit. Complex aromas of wild berries, dried herbs, truffle and hibiscus leap from the glass. These notes continue on the rich, firm palate, where they mingle with flavors of cassis, Mission fig, dark chocolate, mint and lavender, all supported by fine, age-worthy tannins.
Production
In one of the coolest growing seasons in memory, we benefited greatly in 2011 from our 35 years of experience farming Bordeaux varietals. To counteract uneven vine growth due to unusual spring weather, we did meticulous green thinning. We also gently opened up the canopy to expose the fruit, were judicious in our picking schedule, and sorted meticulously both in the vineyards and winery. The majority of our Merlot came in before the October rains, and due to our quality adjustments the remainder of our fruit fared well until it was harvested. Warm up-valley locations like Oakville, Rutherford, St, Helena and Calistoga were particularly successful, and overall the resulting wines are pure and elegant.
Other Notes
Released: September 2015
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2011
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Napa Valley
Harvest Date
October 19 - November 1, 2011
Sugar
25.8° Brix
Acid
0.56 g/100ml titratable acidity
pH
3.82
Aging
24 Months in Barrel
Bottling Date
February 2014
Alcohol %
14.5
Wine Review Online
95
