1998 Dunn, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Bottle (750ml) [Slightly Cracked Wax Capsule]

RP96 "The 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is similar in all respects to the Napa Valley, but somewhat heavier in the mouth, with an aggressive tannic bite, and more length. It possesses mineral-tinged blackberry and cassis fruit, massive body, and extraordinary purity and length. It should not be touched for 12-15 years. It will undoubtedly live through the first half of the next century." RP Dec 1998

AG95+ "A huge, tannic wine, the 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is the first wine in this tasting that is nowhere near close to deliver maximum pleasure. Layers of dark red/blackish fruit supported by firm, incisive tannin hit the palate in an explosive, full-bodied Cabernet built for the cellar. The 1995 is a beauty, but readers need to be very, very patient." AG for VM Feb 2014

Robert Parker writes, "1995 appears to be a fabulous vintage. I doubt there will be much difference in quality between the 1995s and Randy Dunn's spectacular 1994s.
I have been buying Randy Dunn's wines since he first began producing them in 1979. I have worried about whether they ever become drinkable given their massive personalities and huge tannic structures. I am not sure I know the answer, but a blind tasting with my wine group in late September was a revelation since one of the group served over a dozen vintages of Dunn's Cabernet Sauvignons. What was so striking was that in the first flight, which included vintages from the early eighties, the wines were thought to be from the early nineties! Undoubtedly, these wines age at a glacial pace. While I have been consistently advising readers that they will last for 25-30 years, they may be 40-50 year wines, possibly needing 25-30 years just to reach their plateau of maturity! No vintage from the eighties or nineties was revealing much age. All the wines were relatively stunning in quality, with some of the lighter years, such as 1983 and 1988, surprisingly impressive, but not as phenomenal as Randy Dunn's greatest vintages (1982, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996). One of the interesting findings from this vertical tasting is that the fruit levels remain incredibly fresh and concentrated, yet the tannin levels do soften. Because the wine is sterile filtered, I am not sure it will ever develop aromatic complexity, but who really knows? The remarkable aspect is that at 15-18 years of age, the wine tastes as if it is only 3-5 years old. Furthermore, there are no signs of fruit degradation or oxidation, always positive attributes when measuring a wine's ageability." Published: Dec 22, 1998