“Impressive and multifaceted Howell Mountain Cabernet.” – Decanter (on the 2018)

The sneaky Spies we are… here’s a 2019 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon for nearly $100 OFF.

We were genuinely blown away by the Metzker lineup, and trust us, this is just the beginning. Nothing hit harder than this classic Cabernet. Only 6 barrels were made. A Cabernet of this character at this price shouldn’t exist under $50 (usually $145!), and yet here we are.

Founded by PhD geneticist Mike Metzker, who applies the same exacting precision to sourcing that he uses in sequencing the human genome. One non-negotiable principle he has is to only source from the most prestigious sites in Napa and Sonoma. No compromises.

The 2019 was crafted by winemaker Melissa Apter Castro, named one of Napa’s 7 Most Exciting Winemakers by NapaValley.com. She may now be with Duckhorn but was was first at the prestigious SuperTuscan Tignanello before Antica in Napa Valley. What do you get when a geneticist and an Antinori-trained winemaker walk into a Howell Mountain vineyard? CLASSIC PERFECTION with POWER! Their previous vintage Cabs back it up with pedigree, mid-90s scores galore, from Dunnuck to Decanter and beyond.

Trivia time?? - Did you know that Howell Mountain was Napa’s very first designated sub-appellation in 1983? Forty years later, it still commands the most passionate collectors and prestigious producers on the planet. Dunn. Abreu. Outpost. Lokoya. Duckhorn. CADE. La Jota. Even the late Château Latour cellarmaster Denis Malbec traded Bordeaux for Howell Mountain back in the day.

At 1,600 feet above the fog line, in full sunshine, vineyards are composed of volcanic ash and iron-rich red clay so unforgiving that the vines have to fight for every single grape. That struggle is exactly what makes this wine extraordinary…layers of complexity and structure.

Deep, inky purple in the glass with an intensity that means business before you even take a sip. The nose is an absolute knockout!!! Like the movie Jerry Maguire, “you had me at hello.” Then the palate seals the deal. Blackcurrant, crushed marionberry, ripe black cherry, subtle lavender, dark chocolate, cedar, and graphite. Full-bodied, richly textured, ripe tannins coat every corner of your mouth. Powerful, precise, and flat out delicious.

I’m actually getting hungry writing about this. Fire up that grill!!

Cellar it for a decade. Or open it tonight with zero regrets. Either way, acquire immediately. At just $49 a bottle that’s 2/3 off the release price!

Regret level if you don’t: extremely high.