2018 Ink Grade, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California, USA

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In Bond purchases can be stored in our temperature-controlled warehouse

Description

A wine that took my breath away. As a huge fan of Howell Mountain wines, I had high expectations... and this wine exceeded them. A wonderful balance of dark fruits, graphite, and spice wrapped with lush tannin and acidity. A truly exceptional Mountain Cabernet with a long life ahead of it. Truly a wine to watch as the years go by.

Mike Jordan, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Colour Red

Sweetness Dry

Vintage 2018

Maturity Ready - youthful (2023 - 2039)

Grape List Cabernet Sauvignon

Body Full Bodied

Producer Ink Grade

Critics reviews

James Molesworth 92/100

Rock-solid, with tarry-edged grip supporting a core of steeped black currant and blackberry reduction, while singed mesquite and apple wood accents and a licorice root note fill in on the finish.

Drink 2024 - 2036

James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com (Nov 2022)

Joe Czerwinski 93/100

Scents of pine resin and hints of mint accent black cherry and cassis notes on the nose of Ink Grade's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. It's a sturdy, wiry effort, with the ample tannins and coiled intensity that often mark mountain wines, followed by a lingering, gently astringent finish. Like the other reds from Ink Grade, it spent time in a combination of oak tanks and barrels, yet the wood is scarcely noticeable. Give it a few years to unwind.

Drink 2025 - 2040

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Mar 2023)

James Suckling 95/100

Very beautiful aromas of blackcurrants, violets, and lavender with hints of sandalwood. Medium to full body. Chewy mountain tannins, but they are so well integrated and polished that they melt into the wine. Hints of dried cocoa powder at the end with some cedar. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.

Drink or hold

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (Mar 2023)

About this wine

Cabernet Sauvignon

The most famous red wine grape in the world and one of the most widely planted.

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Howell Mountain

The vineyards of Howell Mountain are nestled about 1,400 ft to 2,500 ft above sea level, sitting above the fog that often covers the valley floor. This elevation, along with the well-drained red, iron-rich soils and decomposed volcanic ash soils, creates a distinctive environment for grape cultivation. The region is predominantly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, producing deeply coloured wines considered some of the most concentrated and age-worthy in Napa Valley.

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Ink Grade

Precariously clinging to the side of Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, Ink Grade is a newly founded estate with historic vines that genuinely express their terroir. The property’s history goes back to 1873 when Ulysses S. Grant signed over a land deed for the site located on Howell Mountain. Ink Grade was once part of Heitz Cellar. Heitz purchased the property in 1989 and planted it in 1990 and 1991. Most of the fruit was sold to other producers under the Heitz family, but the brilliance of the Howell Mountain terroir spoke loudly, and in 2020, the property was launched as a standalone project.

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Free delivery on orders over £200.
Wines and spirits purchased In Bond from Berry Bros. & Rudd can be stored in our temperature-controlled warehouse.
Every bottle sold by Berry Bros. & Rudd is subject to our quality guarantee. If a wine or spirit is corked or faulty, we will replace or refund it.