Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

2014 La Jota Merlot Howell Mountain

with No Comment $80-$90Howell MountainKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

La Jota

Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain

Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

The 2014 La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot arrives with an authority that immediately distinguishes it. Born at high elevation, it forgoes plushness in favor of precision and generosity in favor of structure, delivering a wine that is both powerful and exacting. This is Merlot with genuine mountain backbone, shaped by volcanic soils, cool nights, and a long growing season that prizes depth, tension, and longevity.

La Jota’s roots run deep on this mountain. Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, the estate has endured cycles of abandonment and renewal, yet its commitment to Howell Mountain has never wavered. Today, under the direction of Chris Carpenter, that legacy is honed with precision. His approach is measured and site-driven, allowing the character of these historic vineyards to emerge fully.

At twelve years of age, the 2014 demonstrates precisely why Howell Mountain wines command such respect for their longevity. The structure remains firm, but the edges have softened, revealing a more expressive, layered profile. A natural freshness keeps the wine vibrant and lifted. It is a compelling reminder that wines from this elevation are built not merely to endure, but to evolve.

La Jota
Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain
Retails at: $100

Your Price: $85

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“Blended with 10% Petit Verdot, this age-worthy beauty is impressively oaked and tannic in its youth, with a concentration of densely packed red and black currants. Coconut shavings and vanilla appear from the background alongside black pepper and cinnamon. This should drink best from 2024–2034.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

High on Mt. Veeder, where vineyards cling to fractured slopes and fog drifts beneath the canopy, Mt. Brave finds its voice. The 2021 Cabernet rises from this unforgiving terrain, shaped by elevation, exposure, and time rather than convenience. What emerges is a wine of uncommon gravity, carrying the mountain’s tension and resolve through every layer.

Chris Carpenter guides that expression with the authority of experience, drawing on decades spent understanding Napa’s most demanding mountain vineyards. At Mt. Brave, his approach balances discipline with intuition, allowing the intensity of Mt. Veeder fruit to speak without losing precision. Thoughtful choices in the vineyard and cellar bring structure into proportion, refining the mountain’s natural edge rather than softening it.

The 2021 vintage captures Mt. Brave at a moment when structure and harmony fully align. Dense fruit, firm architecture, and underlying freshness point to a long, measured evolution in bottle, even as the wine already shows composure and depth. This is mountain Cabernet built with patience in mind, rewarding contemplation today and cellaring in the years ahead.

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021
Retails at: $125

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“A fabulous wine of focus and polish with very fine tannins that caress your palate and give great length to the finish. Medium to full body. The aromas of violets and currants are so beautiful. Dreamy. Best ever? A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2% merlot, 1% malbec and 1% petit verdot. A total of 3830 cases produced. Give it three to four years to soften.”

99 Points

2019 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2019 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

La Jota

Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain 2019

2019 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

On Howell Mountain, beauty is earned. The soils are thin, the slopes unforgiving, and the climate cool; yet from this adversity comes the soul of the La Jota Cabernet. Each cluster ripened under intense sunlight and cooled by high-elevation breezes, developing a structure both formidable and refined. The result is a wine that speaks fluently of its origin: dark, resonant, and built for the long arc of aging.

La Jota’s roots run deep into this mountain as well. Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, the estate has weathered booms, busts, Prohibition, and rebirth, all while maintaining its foothold on Howell Mountain’s most expressive soils. Today, under Chris Carpenter’s guidance, the estate channels more than a century of resilience into each vintage. His approach honors the site’s original philosophy: let the mountain speak first, then shape its voice with precision and patience.

After several years of unhurried evolution in bottle, the 2019 now shows a harmony that only time can create. The fruit has deepened and integrated, while the tannins have relaxed without losing their mountain backbone, creating a wine that is open, expressive, and beautifully layered. It retains all the hallmarks of great Howell Mountain Cabernet, but with a charm and accessibility that make it stunningly enjoyable right now.

La Jota
Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain 2019
Retails at: $185

Your Price: $149.99

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“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is another superb wine from La Jota. Rich and explosive, the 2019 possesses tremendous density and plenty of mountain power. A rush of black cherry, blackberry, licorice, spice and menthol builds into the huge finish. This is a fabulous vintage for the La Jota Cabernet.”

96 Points

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

After years of quiet evolution in the cellar, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is finally revealing the full measure of its power and grace. What was once tightly coiled and brooding has unfurled into a symphony of mountain fruit, fine tannin, and haunting perfume. The wine offers a mesmerizing reminder of what patience can achieve in the hands of a master.

100pt winemaker Chris Carpenter has spent more than two decades decoding the language of Napa’s mountain vineyards, and Mt. Brave is among his most eloquent expressions. From the steep, fractured slopes of Mt. Veeder, he coaxes fruit that balances density with lift, structure with purity. The 2019 reveals that duality: a wine of formidable strength that moves with the grace of a dancer.

Now, with time having sculpted its edges to perfection, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet stands at its pinnacle. It opens with an arresting purity, unfolding in layers before settling into a finish that seems to stretch toward the horizon. Mt. Brave’s 2019 vintage is mountain Cabernet at its most complete: soulful, sophisticated, and utterly compelling.  

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019
Retails at: $125

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“Showcasing the lovely freshness of high-elevation Mt Veeder grapes. Vivid boysenberry and mulberry fruits give way to mountain herbs, dusty minerals and rich toasty cedar. A compact wine revealing black-fruited flavours and savoury herbal nuances alongside sculpted tannins that are pixelated and mouthcoating. An impressively long finish of iron shavings, baked agave and dried chaparral.”

97 Points

2022 Jett Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

2022 Jett Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtUSAWashington State

Jett

Cabernet Sauvignon
Walla Walla Valley 2022

2022 Jett Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

Few wines arrive with the profound poise of the 2022 Jett Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon—a masterpiece born from visionary artistry and remarkable terroir. Guiding its creation are two prodigious talents: Chris Carpenter, Napa Valley’s revered craftsman behind Lokoya and Cardinale, and Gianna Ghilarducci, a rising talent whose skills were honed at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and through collaboration with Carpenter at Mt. Brave and Lokoya.

The Jett Cabernet Sauvignon is an evocative portrait of Skysill Vineyard, nestled within the elevated folds of Walla Walla’s Upper Mill Creek district, not far from Leonetti. Perched between 1,200 and 1,600 feet, the vines thrive amidst cool mountain breezes and Aeolian soils, rich with ancient volcanic and sedimentary deposits.

After twenty months in French oak, the wine emerges with captivating finesse and structured depth. Pouring forth in an alluring cascade, it weaves together deep, rich intensity with intricate notes of graphite, crushed herbs, and aromatic spices. It leaves a lasting memory on the palate and a quiet conviction that something truly special is unfolding in the Walla Walla Valley.

Jett
Cabernet Sauvignon
Walla Walla Valley 2022

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“The Jett 2022 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon brings together complex, powerful, yet elegant aromas of violets, blackberries, cassis, forest floor, dried herbs, dark chocolate, and a pencil-lead-like minerality. On the palate, the wine has fine-grained, chalky tannins with bright acidity, enhancing flavors of baking spices alongside black and blue fruits, balanced by subtle savory notes. This wine is penetrating and concentrated at the moment and will age gracefully with time.”

97 Points

2011 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard

2011 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard Knights Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtKnight's ValleySonomaUSA

Anakota

Cabernet Sauvignon
Helena Montana Vineyard
Knights Valley 2011

2011 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard

Anakota’s 2011 Helena Montana Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a captivating expression of patience, precision, and the rugged splendor of Knights Valley. Over a decade in bottle has shaped this wine into a refined experience of commanding power, depth, and seductive charm. Founded in the early 2000s by visionary vintner Jess Jackson, Anakota draws from the volcanic slopes of Mount St. Helena to craft wines of remarkable distinction.

Under the guidance of celebrated vigneron Pierre Seillan and acclaimed winemaker Chris Carpenter, Anakota employs a micro-cru approach, vinifying individual vineyard blocks to highlight terroir. Initially underappreciated due to the cool, wet 2011 vintage, this Cabernet has evolved, its concentrated fruit and robust tannins maturing into a wine of striking elegance and depth.

Perched at 950 feet, the Helena Montana Vineyard benefits from gravelly volcanic loam soils, impeccable drainage, and cooling Pacific breezes, defining its extraordinary character. Anakota’s commitment to meticulous viticulture has elevated Knights Valley’s global standing, with the 2011 Cabernet vividly showcasing the vineyard’s ability to produce wines of profound complexity and enduring allure.

Anakota
Cabernet Sauvignon
Helena Montana Vineyard
Knights Valley 2011
Retails at: $175

Your Price: $119.99

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“Inky, deep and gorgeous, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard emerges from the glass with blackberry jam, cassis, sweet spices, menthol and cloves. This is a surprisingly juicy, full-bodied wine with superb depth for the year. Typically firm Knights Valley tannins support the finish. All the elements fall into place nicely. I am intrigued to see how the 2011 ages. There is certainly plenty to look forward to here.” 

91+ Points

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

MT. BRAVE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MT. VEEDER 2019

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
Chris Carpenter is a master at harnessing the power of mountain-grown fruit, gaining a complete understanding of the challenging viticulture crafting legendary vintages at Lokoya and Cardinale. Chris began Mt. Brave on the slopes of Mount Veeder in 2007, unable to resist the temptation to produce wines from a different mountainside with thin, rocky soils and 30-degree slopes at varying angles. This unique topography creates several different microclimates that enjoy temperatures ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the Valley floor.
 
The eastward-facing Mt. Brave vineyard receives a significant maritime influence from the chilly San Pablo Bay, resulting in fruit with tiny, concentrated berries full of flavor and structural components, allowing the wine to age for several years. 
 
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful and focused with fine tannins and fresh acidity that will aid in graceful maturation, slowly revealing the wine’s true nature over time.
 
MT. BRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MT. VEEDER 2019
 
 
 
“Showcasing the lovely freshness of high-elevation Mt Veeder grapes. Vivid boysenberry and mulberry fruits give way to mountain herbs, dusty minerals and rich toasty cedar. A compact wine revealing black-fruited flavours and savoury herbal nuances alongside sculpted tannins that are pixelated and mouthcoating. An impressively long finish of iron shavings, baked agave and dried chaparral.”
97 Points
2019 Mt. Brave Merlot Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Merlot Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Kevin VogtMerlotMt VeederNapaUSA

MT. BRAVE

MERLOT 2019
MT. VEEDER

2019 Mt. Brave Merlot Mt. Veeder
Mount Veeder is Napa Valley’s largest AVA, yet it produces less than two percent of Napa’s total wine production, with the lowest average yields in the region. The mountain is an ancient seabed with thin, rocky soils and 30-degree slopes at varying angles creating several different microclimates that enjoy temperatures ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the Valley floor.
 
Chris Carpenter has a well-respected reputation for vinifying mountain-grown fruit and created classic vintages at Lokoya and Cardinale before taking on the Mt. Brave project, which began in 2007. The eastern-facing slopes of the vineyard produce fruit with tiny, concentrated berries full of lush flavors and rich structural components. The 2019 Merlot is near perfection and a clear standout with complex aromatics, depth of flavors, seductive mouthfeel, and long-lasting finish. 
 
This wine is the epitome of Napa Valley Mountain-grown Merlot and gets Merlot-of-the-vintage for my palate.
 
MT. BRAVE
MERLOT 2019
MT. VEEDER
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Aromas of violets and blackberries with some black olives follow through to a full-bodied palate with finesse, polish and great length. Velvety tannins. Incredible finish. Great class here. Drinkable now, but better to hold for about five or six years.”
98 Points
2018 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2018 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

MT. BRAVE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MT. VEEDER 2018

2018 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
Mount Veeder is Napa Valley’s largest sub-AVA, spanning over 15,000 acres; however, only 1,000 acres of it are grapevines making up just two percent of the valley’s total production. Viticulture on the mountain is challenging due to its rocky terrain of ancient seabed soils that are extremely thin, holding little water, making the capture of winter rains vitally important.
 
Celebrated winemaker Chris Carpenter is a mastermind with mountain fruit, producing classic vintages at Lokoya and Cardinale before the Mt. Brave endeavor began in 2007. The Mt. Brave vineyard produces fruit with tiny, concentrated berries full of flavor and structural components that will gracefully guide the wine down a beautiful aging path but vinified to allow the wine to be amiable and approachable right now.
 
MT. BRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MT. VEEDER 2018
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Lots of cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as classic Mount Veeder notes of lavender, violets, bouquet garni, and rocky, mineral-like notes emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. A deep, full-bodied mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a plush, layered texture, beautiful tannins, a deep, concentrated mid-palate, and a great finish. Another head-turning wine from this label, it’s a candidate for the best Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon out there at the price point.”
97 Points
 
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Brave is fabulous. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 possesses tremendous depth and tons of personality. Graphite, blue/purplish fruit, blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, sage, lavender, menthol give the 2018 tons of character to match its explosive feel. The brooding, backward wine is going to need quite a bit of time to unwind, but boy is it gorgeous.”
97 Points
 
“…Deep garnet-purple colored, it springs from the glass with vibrant crème de cassis, baked plums and Morello cherries scents, followed by nuances of sautéed herbs, clove oil, mocha and scorched earth. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with layers of black and blue fruits, sporting a rock-solid backbone of grainy tannins and great tension, finishing long and minerally.”
95+ Points