2002 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
SKU #1020353
93 points
Vinous
Bright, dark red; not hugely saturated. Briary blueberry, black raspberry, menthol, bitter chocolate and herbs on the nose, with a warmer note of strawberry liqueur emerging with air. Very dense, thick and sweet; the most liqueur-like Dunn Howell Mountain to this point, reflecting the wine's highest alcohol to date. With its rich, deep flavors of plum, raspberry, tobacco and toffee, this is the most Pomerol-like of these vintages, finishing very long, with broad, substantial, palate-saturating tannins but no hard edges. In its flesh and palate presence this is very much a creature of its vintage. My original note on this wine says that Randy Dunn increased his percentage of new oak from 50% to 67% with this vintage, and that may partly explain the wine's sweetness. I suspect Dunn views this vintage as an outlier. (ST)
(8/2018)
92 points
Connoisseurs Guide
From its very deep, currant-and-sweet-spice aromas to its keenly defined and concentrated varietal flavors, this compelling young effort is wonderfully rich without being flamboyant or flashy or beholden to runaway ripeness and oak. It is uncommonly well tailored for the big wine that it is, and it shows fine fruity length even while finishing with considerable tannins.
(8/2008)
91 points
Wine Spectator
Notably elegant and refined, this shows good density. The core of mixed flavors includes dried currant, savory herb, cedar and mineral. Firm in body and tannins, ending with a cigar box-cedar-tobacco allure. (JL)
(8/2012)