We are very pleased to announce the release of our 2012 Trailer Vineyard. We have never done anything like this before and have reserved this bottling solely for our mailing list customers. Sold as two silk-screened bottles packed in a wooden box, this special release features Howell Mountain Cabernet from the first vineyard Randy and Lori purchased on Howell Mountain back in 1978. We replanted this vineyard after the 2013 vintage because of the deteriorating health of the vines, but the wine produced from this vineyard has been outstanding and the backbone of our Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from day one.
When Mike started back at the winery in 1999, he loved the intensity and structure of the Trailer vineyard wine and thought to make a reserve at some point but didn’t want to take the wine out of the Howell Mountain blend. That changed when we finally got the permits to replant the old hillside site and tore out the old vines; producing a special reserve wine for the last two vintages seemed a great way to honor the old vineyard.
The critics have been stunned by this release. “Unusually vivid for such a dark, explosive Cabernet, the 2012 Trailer is magnificent today…this is a tremendous example of Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon” says Antonio Galloni. And from Robert Parker: “The 2012’s are spectacular, including the first old-vine cuvée from the first vines Randy Dunn planted in 1972.”
We have less than 600 boxes available, so please get your order in quickly. Orders can be placed by either emailing or faxing the order form to us. We will begin shipping orders in early March, weather permitting.
I just submitted my order for 6 bottles. I am not expecting the QPR is worth the premium, but I love Dunn and the rarity of this offering makes it interesting. If they start doing this every year, I am not sure I would pay this rate. But my sense during my visit last May was this was a 1 time event. So why not grab a few bottles. I just opened a 2004 Howell Mountain last night for dinner that was really in a nice spot. So made the purchase even easier…
Thanks, been lurking for over a year. Finally found a topic that motivated me to post. Honestly barely read the release letter. I heard about the offering during my May visit and was looking for it in email ever since. I will have a hard time ordering 6 bottles at that price point annually. I will probably pop open one of my six early for a taste and if its amazing I may have to take a swing at the 2013. I simply love their wine and style.
I was wondering how they might make the leap to the new “paradigm” of the higher priced cabs, and this seems a smart entrée.
I have been a fan of theirs since the 83’ vintage found its way to a wine shop in Ghiradelli Square, of all places, way back in the days of wine dinosaurs walking the earth.
It was very dear at 26 dollars that day, but I had to have and found the mailing list as soon as I could. Back in the pre-internet days, it was all parchment letters and mail/fax!
I root for this winery’s success, so I will be in and see if I can keep up.
For people who have visited, is it hard to arrange?
I have visited twice over the years. They have been great to work with. Usually I prioritize their visit over all others and start first with what works for them. Then I plan my other visits around their availability.
I have sent them an email with the date range I am going to be there and then ask what window of time works for them. Usually I send this a few months in advance and I also have been on the mailing list and a frequent buyer for about 10+ years (and a Retro Petite Sirah mailing list member as well). I only bring 1 person with me on each visit (once my wife and once my biz partner). Both times I ordered a case or more of extra wines during the visit.
They really aren’t setup for a big group of people or hosting multiple groups of people at the same time. But they are absolutely awesome people and the highlight of the visits that I have made to Napa. Love them and their wine.
With the Canadian Peso worth 72 cents I’ll have to pass on this.
However I have visited Dunn last spring and the year before and can highly reccomend a visit.
You definitely need an appointment and as we were a group of 6 3 wines were opened for us to do a comparitive tasting. Two years ago they had a fair amount of older vintages available, I picked up a 2003 Howell Mtn for example. Last year far fewer older release wines, but still a nice list and quite a few vintages in Magnums.