Lokoya Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a wine of tremendous power and gravitas. Inky dark fruit, graphite, cured meat and smoke all meld together in a virile, imposing wine loaded with character. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a few years, as it is quite the powerhouse. Swaths of imposing Howell Mountain tannins wrap around the palate. Even so, the 2018 has more than enough volume and resonance to balance things out.

This really packs in some serious plum paste, cassis and black cherry pâte de fruit notes, all wrapped in brambly grip and laced with mouthwatering anise and iron notes. There's a tarry underpinning on the finish, with a deftly inlaid roasted apple wood note. Nicely set up for the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2038. 1,000 cases made.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain was aged in French oak barrels for 22 months, 97% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls effortlessly out of the glass with notes of warm cassis, black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves plus hints of dark chocolate, crushed rock and tree bark with a waft of truffles. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with earthy/savory black fruit layers and super firm, rugged tannins, delivering a tightly wound, lively finish. Give it a good 5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20+ years. 1,001 cases were made.

Lastly, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is another backward, brooding wine that's going to need bottle age. Dark chocolate, graphite, wood smoke, violets, and lead pencil notes as well as ample red and black fruits dominate the bouquet, and it's rich, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, with ripe tannins and a big, rich, chewy finish. This is classic Howell Mountain Cabernet, with serious tannins, yet ample mid-palate depth and length. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.