Another masterpiece from the talents of Celia Welch, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain comes from a site on Howell Mountain and spent 20 months in new French oak. It's a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful Mountain Cabernet revealing ample smoked black fruits, notes of graphite, tobacco, spicy wood, and bouquet garni, a dense, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a gorgeous overall profile that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age. It will unquestionably have two decades or more of prime drinking.

(97 + points) Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon slowly unfurls to reveal evocative scents of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, candied violets, and licorice, followed by hints of mossy tree bark, tar, and cardamom. The full-bodied palate is exquisitely crafted with very fine, grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the tightly wound black fruit and earthy layers, finishing with great length.

(93+ points) All Cabernet Sauvignon purchased from two separate sites, Castiel's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon offers up hints of pine resin and pencil shavings, nicely accenting blackberry, cassis and blueberry fruit. Full-bodied and richly concentrated, this plushly tannic wine finishes long and velvety, ending with a hint of dark chocolate. 350 cases produced.