O'Shaughnessy 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, Napa Valley   

2017 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, Napa Valley

NVWE Notes: 2017 is a great Cabernet vintage at this property and this wine proclaims it with a focused display of black raspberry, black currant, black cherry, red currant, clove, cedar, nutmeg, licorice root, tobacco, laurel and dried red rose scents. O’Shaughnessy reds are always gutsy, yet this wine’s obvious youth and substantial tannins get pushed aside by juicy-rich flavors that are a lingering mirror of the aromas. At the finish, the balance is near perfect and the fruit stays center-stage, so current drinkability is a delightful surprise. The patient can expect this one to get better for five years and prove long-lived. Blended with 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2.5% Petite Verdot, 2.5% St. Macaire, 2% Carmenere & 1% Cab Franc.

Vinous
94 Points
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain) is a powerful, dense wine endowed with tremendous concentration. Even so, the Howell Mountain tannins are nicely tamed. Ripe black cherry, black plum, espresso, spice, leather, graphite and dried flowers give the wine its mysterious, somber feel. Readers will find a gorgeous Cabernet that offers superb depth, but also more plushness and early appeal than is typical of Howell Mountain wines. One of the most distinctive signatures of the Howell Mountain Cabernet is the significant presence of blenders - in this vintage, all seven of the Bordeaux red varieties. The blend is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Saint-Macaire, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Carménère. Drink 2022 - 2037. Antonio Galloni Jan 2020