From the atlas
Dunn Vineyards
Dunn Vineyards is a Cabernet Sauvignon producer in Angwin on Howell Mountain, with shallow soils, low yields and caves cut into the hill.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | Napa Valley |
| Base | Angwin on Howell Mountain |
| Main grape | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Range | Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Defining feature | Shallow Howell Mountain soils and caves cut into the hill |
The Producer
Dunn Vineyards is based in Angwin on Howell Mountain and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon. Its work joins low vigor mountain vineyards with a cave cellar cut directly into Howell Mountain. Shallow soils reduce yields, while the underground cellar was built to address evaporative loss during ageing.
Place
Angwin sits on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. Dunn uses the mountain name and the valley name on separate Cabernet Sauvignon wines, giving the range two geographic frames. The Howell Mountain bottle is tied to the mountain vineyards, while the Napa Valley bottle includes fruit from Howell Mountain and Coombsville.
Soil And Site
Howell Mountain's shallow soils produce yields averaging half those of the valley floor. Low vigor limits the crop, and the mountain wines carry firm tannin and acidity associated with the site. The 2021 Howell Mountain Cabernet finishes with a dry, chalky character in one independent assessment.
Story
Randy Dunn worked at Caymus Vineyards from 1975 to 1985. Ted Kizor assumed cellar duties in 2020 and became Dunn Vineyards' official winemaker in 2023. Lily Mirabelle Freedman joined as general manager that year, becoming the first non-family member to oversee the operation. Kizor leads the cellar, while Freedman oversees the wider operation.
Vineyards And Cellar
Dunn has used organic practices to manage pests and disease since 2016. The farming program now includes cover crops, regenerative agriculture and off-season sheep grazing, with the sheep eating the grass and leaving natural organic compost.
In 1989, caves were dug directly into Howell Mountain in response to Randy Dunn's struggles with evaporative loss. The caves cover 6,000 square feet and maintain 56°F and 98% humidity year round. A cool, humid cellar slows evaporation and keeps barrel ageing more stable.
Both Cabernet Sauvignons age for 32 months in French oak. The lots remain separate during barrel ageing, and the wines are racked every six months so oxygen can slowly soften the tannins.
Wines
The core range consists of two Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The Howell Mountain bottling is made from fruit Dunn farms in its own Howell Mountain vineyards. The Napa Valley bottling combines Howell Mountain and Coombsville fruit. Both are described as 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The two wines differ through fruit source and appellation framing. Across the range, the Napa Valley Cabernet generally has softer tannins, while the Howell Mountain Cabernet has more robust tannins and more intense fruit.
In The Glass
The 2021 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon brings blackberry, graphite, crushed rock, lavender, espresso, licorice and spice, with cedar, cassis, blueberries, pine needles and rubbed sage around the fruit. Its texture is rich, and the finish carries length and harmony.
The 2019 vintage brings blackcurrant, pomegranate, cumin and graphite, followed by blueberry, cedar, mocha, olive and iron rich earth. Bright acidity and silky tannins carry the palate into a savoury finish, while grainy, gravelly tannins linger with dust and chalk.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose the Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The red wax capsule marks the mountain bottling, which is more tightly wound in youth than the Napa Valley wine. It begins opening after five to seven years and can age for 30 to 40 years or more in the best vintages. The bottle puts the Howell Mountain name, fruit source and long ageing curve together in one Cabernet Sauvignon.
Anecdote
In 1978, Lori and Randy Dunn purchased 14 acres on Howell Mountain, including five acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted at 2,000 feet and ready for the 1979 vintage. Their first Dunn wine was 660 nine litre cases of Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The bottles were sold through a newsletter in 1981, turning the small first release into the beginning of the Dunn Vineyards range.
Final Word
Dunn Vineyards is Cabernet Sauvignon from Angwin, with shallow mountain soils in the vineyard and caves cut into Howell Mountain for the cellar.
Sources
1. https://www.dunnvineyards.com/ 2. https://www.polanerselections.com/producers/dunn/ 3. https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/napa-1970s-19325647.php 4. https://www.wine.com/product/dunn-howell-mountain-cabernet-sauvignon-2021/2873170 5. https://www.wine.com/product/dunn-howell-mountain-cabernet-sauvignon-2019/1599291 6. https://www.napawineproject.com/dunn-vineyards/