WTN: A few from Howell Mountain

[Carolyn Tillie]

My boss has been instrumental in kicking up a new Howell Mountain AVA Association. Consequently, whenever there are meetings at our winery, other members bring up bottles to share and I am the lucky recipient of the left-overs!

2000 Piña Howell Mountain Cabernet - Estate Grown - Full, lush, plummy nose that had no finish. Almost acidic in its tannins. Felt great in the mouth and after swallowing, I wondered where it went. 5/10

2001 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet - I'm curious how much Petit Verdot was blended into this Cab because of how inky dark it was. Rich, spicy and full of fig and plum. 7/10

2002 Outpost Howell Mountain Zinfandel - This wine blew my mind. Incredible and overwhelming herbs on the nose filling the mouth with complex layers of fruit and more herbs. I haven't been this excited about a zin in ages and look forward to purchasing more. 10/10

[Mark Sommelier]

These are all wines that I have never heard of on the East Coast. Carolyn, do you know if they are distributed?

[Carolyn Tillie]

Mark, I imagine these wineries are in the same boat that Ladera is in -- struggling to find distributors because we are all essentially newbies on the block of the wine world. For us, we are only distributed in a little over a dozen states. Most distribution companies claim "their books are full with too many little producers" to want to bother, prefering the Big Boys like Kenwood and Mondavi.

I do know you could order directly, or at least contact them directly:

Piña Napa Valley

O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery

Sadly, my favorite (Outpost) does not have a website yet -- however they can be reached at: (707) 965-1718; Frank Dotzler, proprietor. Heck, I'm going to give this guy a call to get some of that Zin!