This opaque and very dark purple colored Cabernet Franc from La Jota was impressive in front of the Tasting Panel. It opens with a very perfumed bouquet featuring blueberry and Earl Grey tea. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, nicely balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a blend of blueberry, espresso and toasted oak. We also detected hints of blackberry and minerality mixed in. The finish is dry and its dusty tannins and fruit show very nice length. The Panel suggested pairing it with the American Kobe Cap Steak from Grill 23.

This opaque and very dark garnet colored Cabernet Franc from La Jota was the winner of a mini-blind tasting of Cab Francs from California. It opens with a blueberry and cherry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, well-balanced and juicy. The flavor profile is a blend of blueberry and minerality with notes of blackberry and stewed plums. We also detected some hints of cherry-cola in the mix. The finish is dry and its huge tannins stick around for quite a while. Our mini-panel suggested decanting this Cab Franc in the near term and serving it with a well-marbled ribeye with some hush puppies on the side.

Tight, firm and austere; smooth with fine structure; elegant, tangy and long; balanced and made to last a long time.

Another compelling, delicious wine, La Jota's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Racy and opulent in the glass, the 2015 exudes depth in its plump, dark-fleshed fruit. Chocolate, plum and licorice infuse the finish in this opulent, flamboyant Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink it over the next decade or so.

This opaque and very dark purple colored Cabernet Sauvignon finished in second place in our Big Blind Tasting. It opens with a fragrant blueberry bouquet with notes of cherry-cola. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, very well-balanced, silky and fruit forward. The flavor profile is a blueberry and dark chocolate blend with notes of kirsch and oak. We also detected hints of currant and espresso. The finish is dry and its flavors and well-managed tannins show terrific length. This Cab would pair well with a short rib stew.

Graphite, smoke, incense, lavender, plum and sweet French oak hit the palate in La Jota's 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Chris Carpenter has done a tremendous job in crafting a Cabernet that is both deeply expressive of Howell Mountain, but with enough sweetness in the tannins and overall juiciness to drink well with minimal cellaring.

Shows the freshness and richness of the 2013 vintage with blackberry, walnut and blueberry character. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a savory finish. Drink in 2019.

Rich and full-blown, with a deep core of zesty blackberry and wild berry, appropriately framed by dusty earth and cedary tannins. The finish is pleasantly rocky and rustic. Drink now through 2028.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the more complete, well-rounded wines in the La Jota range. Dark red and black cherry, plum, spice, new leather, smoke and licorice are some of the notes that wrap around the palate. The 2012 is dark, voluptuous and juicy, all signatures of the year. In 2012, the blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot aged in 89% new French oak. La Jota's largest cuvée (3,850 cases), it boasts a dense purple color as well as copious notes of licorice, crème de cassis, road tar, charcoal and mulberries. With exceptional fruit intensity, full-bodied opulence, decent acidity and sweet, lush, well-integrated tannin, it should drink well for 10-15+ years.

A solid cab with mineral, floral, stone and black currant. Full and chewy. There's tannin tension and intensity. Very stylish. Drink or hold.

A soft and savory red with plum, raisin and spice aromas and flavors. Full body, velvety tannins and a fruity finish. Drink or hold.

This is not as thunderous as Howell Mountain cabernets can be, said Tonya Pitts of San Francisco's One Market, commenting on the freshness of the acidity carrying the flavors through the finish. While the fruit is ripe, floral and red, the tannins have the blackness of creosote, lending the wine power and density without feeling aggressive. Decant it to take on the char of grilled lamb chops.

Dense, ripe and juicy with notes of earth, spice and plum; intense and complex, layered and rich with tangy, vivid style. Give it time.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon shows considerable richness, breadth and power. Dark red berries, grilled herbs, licorice and new leather flesh out in this generous, large-scaled wine. Sweet floral, and mentholated notes are layered into the delineated, tense finish. This is a decidedly soft, gentle wine for Howell Mountain, perhaps because of the addition of 10% Merlot in the blend, which also includes smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Very earthy and spicy, with plum and smoked-meat aromas. Full body, round texture of soft, velvety tannins and a medium finish.

Seriously delicious. Full of flavour, with rich damson plums and spicy black pepper held in check by silky tannins. Feel the sunshine in the fruit; the grip is firm, and the palate is led upwards in the final moments by a shot of juicy acidity. From grapes grown at elevation – meaning above the fog line – east of Angwin on Howell Mountain, this is an intense rendition of Cabernet without losing its balance. Highly recommended.

Seriously delicious. Full of flavour, with rich damson plums and spicy black pepper held in check by silky tannins. Feel the sunshine in the fruit; the grip is firm, and the palate is led upwards in the final moments by a shot of juicy acidity. From grapes grown at elevation - meaning above the fog line - east of Angwin on Howell Mountain, this is an intense rendition of Cabernet without losing its balance. Highly recommended.

Intense, supple and graceful, with a potent beam of mineral-laced dried berry, currant, cedar and tobacco flavors, fulfilling its focus and promising a long life ahead.

Mocha and dark chocolate with big black plums. Full-bodied and supple.

A contrast of plump, succulent fruit and hard, stony tannin, this gives a clear taste of Howell Mountain intensity while remaining floral and fine. The violet scents and the dark earthiness should grow into deeper complexity as it ages. Cellar through 2012 or '14.

92 Points - 2002 La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

The most impressive wine of this trio is the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon 20th Anniversary. Fashioned from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the winery's finest Howell Mountain lots, it boasts a dense purple color along with a big, sweet bouquet of boysenberries, blueberries, black currants, licorice, charcoal and damp earth. There is great fruit on the attack and mid-palate, plenty of tannin to be resolved and a fresh, long, concentrated, vigorous finish. It will benefit from another 2-3 years of cellaring and should drink well for 15+ years.

Open black cherry, spicy, cola, earth and pepper aromas with a touch of barnyard and strawberry jam in the background. Round and moderately rich with supple mouth feel. Finish is soft and balanced with earth and strawberry. Very good quality for current and near-term consumption.

Pinot Noir World Series