Joe Czerwinski
2023 Castiel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
Castiel Estate's 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain was selected from multiple blocks of the owner's own west-facing vineyard, with plantings dating back to the 1990s. It's classic Howell Mountain in profile, with notes of black cherries and blueberries, plus compelling hints of pine, sage and violets. Full-bodied and supple, it's almost creamy and lush in feel but also tannic, turning richly velvety on the finish.
Castiel Estate is based on an 88-acre holding on Howell Mountain owned by Dave and Kathleen DiCesaris. The first few vintages were produced from a neighbors' vineyard, but they've since added that to their original property. Celia Welch was the original winemaker, but as she has cut back on the number of consultancies, that role has been taken over by Maayan Koschitzky. "I love '23 for Howell Mountain," said Koschitzky, as we tasted the wines in the downtown Napa tasting salon of another of his clients. "You had a longer hang time to really develop the tannins," he said.
The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a fine value, blending fruit from the Howell Mountain estate with fruit from Blue Hen, in Yountville. There's an excellent Sauvignon Blanc from Saint Helena. But the real gem is the Cabernet Sauvignon off the DiCesaris's property on Howell Mountain, which comes close to epitomizing that AVA's descriptors, including blue fruit, hints of pine and ample aging potential.
Rating: 96+ pts
Maturity: 2028 - 2045