Current Releases Howell Mountain Vineyards

October 1, 2000 Releases

1998 Vintage Notes

The 1998 vintage was a cool growing season that began with a late spring. A small crop was set at flowering. Warm but not hot weather finally arrived in the summer, and by September Howell Mountain Vineyards began dropping crop (cutting off some grape bunches) to preserve only the best fruit. Harvest lasted into November - over a month later than is usual. As a result, production was down dramatically in 1998 and therefore our fall offering is extremely limited. If you have been lucky enough to try the 1998 Zinfandels at any of the ZAP events I think you will agree that Howell Mountain Vineyards produced exceptionally high quality, concentrated zinfandels that are soft and attractive.

	1998 BEATTY RANCH ZINFANDEL has vanilla and chocolate notes in the nose, with a black plum, raspberry and jammy pepper. The cherry and licorice flavors on the palate lead into a beautiful, round and lengthy finish. The eighty-year-old vineyard is the oldest zinfandel vineyard on Howell Mountain. The production was only 218 cases.
	1998 BLACK SEARS VINEYARD ZINFANDEL has a nose of black cherry, orange peel and cinnamon. It is highly aromatic with notes of jonquils giving way to a rich and voluptuous mouthfeel with a lingering finish. At 2400 feet in elevation, this vineyard is the highest vineyard on Howell Mountain, and probably the highest in all of Napa. Production was 205 cases.

1997 Vintage Notes

The 1997 vintage was, in contrast to 1998, a bountiful and balanced growing season. The warm spring gave us a normal set (blossoming) of the grapes, and the relatively even temperatures of the summer allowed Mother Nature to give us a beautiful harvest.

1997 CABERNET SAUVIGNON is produced from our two vineyards, Beatty Ranch and Black Sears. The grape clusters were hand selected and the crushed fruit treated to a pre-fermentation cold soak, giving the wine soft and integrated tannins. This wine shows sweet chocolate and cherry scents mixed with jasmine and lily in the nose. The ripe, jammy aromas lead into soft and mouth-filling flavors, ending with the elegance of a beautifully crafted Cabernet Sauvignon. Production was 521 cases.