Sitting on the edge of reduction with finely tuned, dark-fruit aromas of black olives, currants, graphite, cured meats, coffee beans and earth. The palate is full-bodied with a plush, refined mouthfeel and a long finish that remains fresh and balanced. A well-made Napa cabernet from a warm vintage. Drink or hold.
95 points, James Suckling (Sep 2025)
Sourced from the family's estate vineyard, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Saint-Macaire, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Carmenère. Aged two years in 60% new French oak, it features hints of graham crackers on the nose, alongside gently pine needle-like herbal nuances and more straightforward notes of blueberries and plums. It's full-bodied—weighing in at 15.2% alcohol—and concentrated but also plush and softly tannic, with a long finish and no trace of heat.
94 points, Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Oct 2025)
Based on 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% St. Macaire, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenère and aged two years in French oak (60% new, 40% second year), the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon offers blackcurrants, scorched earth, iron, sappy herbs, and tobacco. It's rich and medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, and has a layered, textured mouthfeel, ripe underlying tannins, and outstanding length. I slightly prefer the overall structure and balance here to the Mt. Veeder bottling, but both are successful 2022s with 10-12 years of longevity. Drink 2025-2037.
93 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Dec 2025)
The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a pretty ripe, flamboyant wine for O'Shaughnessy. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice and lavender lend notable exuberance. Even with all of its obvious up-front richness, the 2022 is on the softer side structurally.
93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Dec 2024)
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