2022 La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Chris Carpenter explains that La Jota’s wines tend to offer more generous, approachable tannins—making them ideal for restaurant lists. That accessibility, he notes, comes down to thoughtful decisions around clone, rootstock, and site selection. Some vineyard blocks naturally yield softer, more inviting tannins, as opposed to dense, palate-etching structures. He seeks Cabernet Sauvignon expressions that are powerful and present, yet have a gentler texture. This blend was aged for 22 months in 77% new French oak. The 2022 is exceptionally approachable, with generous, plump, velvety tannins that still carry mountain intensity, but are beautifully integrated. The wine boasts a vibrant core of juicy mulberry fruit, perfumed with notes of thyme, rosemary, and sage. It finishes with a precise ironstone minerality and a subtle saline edge, reminiscent of pink Himalayan salt. (JC)