Visit to Dunn Vineyards (Howell Mtn AVA, Napa Valley CA)

This was a visit I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Randy Dunn and his wines are legendary in Napa. OLD SCHOOL. No fancy estate facilities or equipment, just the basics you need to make classic, ageworthy cabernet. The Howell Mtn bottlings in particular are famous for taking years and years of cellaring before they can be approached. However once there, they have a reputation for blossoming into textbook, classic era mountain site cabernets. The Napa bottlings are generally thought to be meant for more immediate consumption but this is a bit of a misnomer since the bulk of the fruit (and in some vintages all of it) comes from the same estate site as the HM.

Dunn is high up on Howell Mtn just past the town of Angwin. For reference, it is very close to Outpost for those who have visited there. Randy’s original purchase was in the 80s on behalf of Caymus, his employer at the time. He acquired it from them when it was clear Caymus was not going to do anything with the site. We arrived and were hosted by Kristina Buchanan, who is Randy’s daughter and is involved in the marketing aspects of the winery operations. She’s also currently pregnant with her second child! She led us to the outdoor crush pad and we briefly met her brother/current day to day winemaker, Mike Dunn. Mike had just finished bottling the 2012s the day before our visit, a major endeavor when everything goes to plan. The problem this year was the new magnum glass bottles did not fit with the mobile bottling line equipment and had to be hand bottled. Try doing that with 200+ 6 pack cases of magnums! Ouch!

There is no sorting table at Dunn. The grapes come in, are destemmed (for the most part) and go into the fermentation tanks. They vigorously pump over as well. The wines then spend 30 months in new French oak barrels. I’m sure all this combined with the Howell Mtn terroir is why the wines can be so unapologetically backward. Kristina said Mike once tasted the wines in barrel at around 20-24 months and told Dad they sure were showing well and perhaps they should bottle. She said Randy said “we age them 30 months, that’s what we do”. Dunn also uses reverse osmosis if needed to reduce finished alcohol to under 14%. Randy is no fan of “cocktail” wines and will do what it takes to make wines for the dinner table.

We then went to the office for a tasting. Kristina poured us the 2000 HM, 2002 Napa and HM and the 2011 HM.

The 2000 HM was a lovely mature mountain cabernet. I don’t think it will be a long distance runner in 750ml format like other Dunns. This was a maligned vintage in Napa but this wine was showing well and I think it’s good for another 5 years at least.

The 2002 Napa and HM were fun to drink side by side. Both are in a good place now and with years to go. The Napa was probably in its sweet spot on the aging curve while the HM could use more time to peak if you are tannin adverse or prefer more mature notes and flavors.

2011 HM was obviously very young, but more approachable than I expected. I had heard the recent wines under Mike Dunn’s influence have become more approachable younger and I think this experience supports that opinion. I’m not sure how it is being achieved given what I saw earlier on the visit though. I also found it to be a bit green but in a way that adds complexity versus detracting from the wine. I think that is probably more of a reflection of the cool 2011 growing season than any winemaking decisions.

A fun visit and great to connect with one of the pioneering wine families in Napa Valley!

Thanks for posting that!

I am a long time Dunn fanatic, and that is my fantasy tasting visit! I’m getting old, so maybe it’s time I get working on my spit-bucket list!

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Nice!

John- Blankiet to Dunn, now that’s a nice compare. Sounds like a great visit. I’ve been to Lamborn a bunch and really like their Howell Mtn Cab. I really need to find some Dunn with age to compare.

Sounds like a great visit, special circumstance I take it. I think the new school with early approachability seems to be tannin mgmt., less seeds maybe? Anyhow great write up, would love to visit there one day.

Fred - next time you are out this way I will open a bottle of 1988 Dunn Napa that I have in my collection. I have really liked that wine. Randy was pouring next to me at Bassins in April (we are arranged alphabetically), and I told him how much I liked that wine, and had had a couple of bottles recently. He just nodded and barely broke a smile. One of our Napa characters, for sure.

88 Dunn Napa. Wine of the vintage if you ask me.

Thanks Merrill. I’d love to try that wine.

Love aged Dunn cabs, some of the best made in Cali.

A few things struck me from your very nice write-up:

  • aged in new French oak
  • aged 30 mos
  • destemmed

Has this always been the case or more of a new direction of where this winery is headed?

Anyone know what year he started using RO to remove alcohol?

Not sure when he started but I remember a WS article that was several years ago where it mentioned this. Don’t think he is too shy about it. Seems more folks water back but I believe he’s been doing it for awhile.

My understanding is this has always been the case at Dunn. I should revise to state the grapes are not 100% destemmed. They are not that concerned with some bits of stems getting added to the mix. In fact, I think it’s intentional for adding complexity.

They are not shy at all about it and think the ageability of their wines demand it. They used to water back before moving to RO. My sense is Randy would tell you perhaps a majority of NV cab producers do one or the other but just keep it confidential.

I know they’re not shy about it, I was just curious of when it started for comparison purposes… I’m sure it’s pretty prevalent in NV. I don’t buy much Napa Cab at all but do enjoy many of the old guard (Diamond Creek, Spring Mountain, Montelena, etc).

I just put a note directly on that bottle in my cellar that says “Fred Daner.”

I brought a magnum of the 1992 Dunn Napa to an offline at Press some time ago. There were many splendid wines that night but I was delighted that when Antonio Galloni (then still at the WA) passed by our table he singled out the Dunn, even though he had been asked about other wines. It was indeed a beauty and I look forward to popping a cork on the 1992 Howell Mountain.

Thanks Merrill !

sale alert- Woodlands Hill has the 2011 HM on sale for $79. Also have the Robert Craig version for $61

The '11 HM Dunn is excellent, as I’ve posted elsewhere.

It’s a spectacular wine, sadly mine are all gone

Thanks all, I have been meaning to try Dunn. Just picked up a pair of 2011 from SF Wine Trading Company. Nice CT notes on this.