98pts James Suckling

This minerally, earthy wine is highly impressive, with aromas of black and red currants, wet stones, bay laurel, bitter chocolate, dried flowers and walnuts. The palate is seamlessly balanced, showing depth of fruit, melting tannins and a silken, rounded mouthfeel that has no hard edges. Firm, mouthwatering finish. This is drinking very well now, but can age for decades. Drink or hold.

97pts Wine Advocate

Dunn's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is the first vintage in a while that didn't get 100% new French oak—it's just 84%. Subtle, cedary oak frames bold cherry and blueberry fruit on the nose of this medium- to full-bodied wine. It's bigger-feeling than the Napa bottling, despite being lower in alcohol (13.9%). Round but structured, firm but silky, with undertones of crushed stone and pencil shavings on the lingering finish, it's a particularly strong effort.

95pts Vinous

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain offers a striking interplay of vintage 2022 ripeness and Howell Mountain savoriness. Dried herbs, menthol, licorice, incense and blood orange stain the palate up front before beams of tannin punctuate the harmonious, expressive finish. The 2022 is exotic and unusually lush, but also full of character. I look forward to seeing how this ages. The Howell Mountain is clearly among the finest wines of the year.

Winemaker Notes

2022 Howell Mountain sings, even at this young age, with suavity and soulfulness. The hallmarks Dunn admires vintage after vintage of their Howell Mountain bottling are on full display: toasted cumin, a slatey mineral edge, and unfurling layers of density and complexity. Grippy yet somehow ethereal, velvety tannins reverberate around a rich core of red and black fruit, taut yet lifted by violets and wild mountain herbs. Exceptionally selective blending was required for this vintage of Howell to showcase the challenging growing season without sacrificing any power or prestige. 2022 Howell is a reminder of how great sites and wines can prevail even in the most trying circumstances.

Winery Notes

Dunn Vineyards is a celebrated family-owned and operated estate in Howell Mountain, a subregion of the Napa Valley AVA. In 1979, Randy Dunn and his wife Lori moved with their son Mike into a home on the outskirts of the quiet town of Angwin. While the valley floor inspired farmers to plant vineyards and make wine, Howell Mountain captured Randy’s heart.

From these mountain vineyards, the Dunn family made its mark on the wine industry, and the land in turn made its mark on the family. They now own over 200 acres of land, 35 acres of which are planted to vines - 29 acres to Cabernet Sauvignon, and a small parcel for Mike Dunn’s Petite Sirah, released under the Retro Cellars label. Another 63 forested acres are entrusted to the Napa Valley Land Trust. The Dunn’s continue to produce two of the best regional examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, one from Howell Mountain and one from Napa Valley.