2003 Howell Mountain Merlot

Vintage

94 points
Wine Enthusiast -
12/31/2007
Those notorious mountain tannins have largely melted, making the wine drinkable now, although it will hold well for a decade with proper cellaring. Lush and velvety, with a drop of Cabernet Franc, this is voluptuous in cherries, black currants and fine, toasty oak.

94 points, Two Puffs
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines -
11/30/2007
This uncommonly solid and deeply crafted Merlot is very clearly reflective of its mountain lineage in that it is a noticeably firmer and more tannic than are its rounder, valley-floor cousins. More>