Dunn Vineyards: Howell Mountain Cabernet

During our recent trip to Napa we had the privilege of being invited to a wine tasting at Dunn Vineyards, an exclusive winery towards the top of Howell Mountain.  We have attended many wine tasting, but none of been as rewarding, entertaining and pleasant as our experience there.  As you arrive down the long drive, the vineyards and acreage of the family farm surround you leading to immediate thoughts of "can I live here"? As we parked the car by the original family home we were first greeted by Roscoe (see video) followed shortly by Kristina, one of those individuals that is warm, energetic, inviting and instantly your friend: the tour of the property, cave and facilities was relaxed and very informative; there is such a passion for wine there. So generously, we "tasted" the 2005, 2006 and 2008 vintages; all unique but similar in that they are extraordinary wines of great depth and complexity.  There was something about the 2008 that we just fell in love with; a concentration of fruit and total palate satisfaction that words cannot define. Perhaps it was because almost 50% of the grapes were lost in an late frost delivering more intensity to the remaining yield. As we were visiting, Randy & Lori Dunn arrived and exhibited the type of warm farm hospitality that is unforgettable, along with their newest puppy Dominga (ok thought it was a boy in the video)! Randy Dunn is a wine artist now passing the nuances of wine making to his son Mike; rare amongst Napa's big Cabs they are able to created infinitely drinkable and cellar worthy wines with lesser alcohol and greater results. We know we have used many superlatives in this narrative, but trust us on one little thing; words are not adequate to describe how much we appreciated our experience there.  So if in Napa, look them up at http://dunnvineyards.com/index.htm ,remember you must make an appointment.  From RJ Kirk @ Cafe 1853, Cheers!!