Cobbler Mountain Pumpkin Spice Cider

2015 is another extraordinary vintage that fully expresses classic Cabernet style from this famed, high elevation site. Packed with complex aromas of ripe blackberries, cocoa along with some delicate minerality, it just begs for another swirl. As this wine opens up, aromas of plum, ripe blackberry, cassis and crushed rock can be found. Complex on the palate, ripe concentrated fruit leads the way, evolving into mocha, cedar, leather and spice, all wrapped in a subtle layer of sweet toasty oak. Bold and extracted, elegant and refined, this seductive wine delivers everything we love about Howell Mountain Cabernet. Enjoy now or lay a few bottles down for a few more years.

Early to bud and early to ripen, the 2014 vintage was our third drought year in a row. Dry, even temperatures marched the grapes along at a steady clip all year and created a wine with beautifully integrated fruit, acidity, and tannin.
Dense and dark magenta in color, this is a lithe and energetic vintage with lifted aromatics and a purity of fruit that lights up the medium-bodied tannin structure. The nose promises fresh black fruits, cherries and a touch of graphite, and the palate completely delivers. Juicy blackberry, plum, and bright cherry explode in the mouth, and develop into savory notes of baked black fruit and fresh pencil shavings on the mid-palate. 
Eagle Summit Vineyard’s signature eucalyptus appears on the back palate to brighten the fruit, showing fragrant peppermint and warm, toasty spices through the finish. Whether you open it young or wait a few decades, this vintage does Howell Mountain proud--sophisticated and smart, with a rustic wild side.

Cresta Velia Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Aged in 100% French oak (86% new)

• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Eagle Summit Vineyard on Howell Mountain
• Equal amounts of clone 4 and clone 7
• unfined and unfiltered

Review:

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet aged 20 months in 86% new French oak, with the typical suspects in terms of cooperage – Darnajou, Taransaud, and Remond. This opaque purple-colored wine has plenty of mulberry and blackcurrant fruit along with hints of blackberries, camphor and incense. The are some notes of unsmoked cigar and licorice as well. Ripe, medium to full-bodied and luscious, it is a classic to drink over the next 15 or more years. - RP"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #228, December 2016), 90 pts

Hightower Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot.

As Hightower Cellars' signature wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Red Mountain wine – bold and full of the flavors that make this region so special. As much as possible, Tim and Kelly Hightower take a non-interventionist approach to winemaking. They place great emphasis on vineyard selection, picking, pressing, and blending so that Hightower wines are naturally beautiful and free from pretense. They let the powerful and concentrated fruit from Red Mountain speak for itself. The result is a collection of well-balanced, nuanced wines that reveal something new and interesting each time you open a bottle.

Aromas of tart blueberry and lush red cherry dominate the nose, while firm tannins and full body lend structure to this inky, pigmented wine. The palate features notes of dark fruit, fresh cut wood, and dried tobacco. This wine is an excellent candidate for decanting, as the aromas evolve wonderfully over time to express softer, lush fruit and hints of herbs and spices.

Red Mountain AVA 100% (Hightower Estate Vineyard 56%, E&E Shaw Vineyard 44%)
New Oak 71%, Neutral Oak 29% (American 67%, French 11%, European 11%, Hungarian 11%)
Un-fined and un-filtered

Pairs with grilled red meat, fig and olive tapenade, bacon wrapped dates.

Review:

"Aromas of exotic spice, Craisins, dried thyme, black currant, vanilla and black licorice are out front. Fruit and barrel play off each other nicely on an elegant, cranberry-filled palate. It has a pleasing mouthwatering sense to it. - SEAN P. SULLIVAN" - Wine Enthusiast (January 2020), 90 pts

This is a classic West County English cider. Produced with 14 varieties of mostly English cider apples including Dabinett, Kingston Black, and Somerset Redstreak to name just a few. True to style, it starts with a smokey bouquet and a hint of horse blanket. The taste is full of complex flavors including smoked fruit. Horse blanket notes on the finish make this cider true to style and a rare edition for the Western New York region. LIMITED EDITION.

Pairs with sharp cheddar cheese and crackers, charcuterie/cheese board, ham and cheese sandwiches.

This one-hundred-percent Merlot has really nice, bright red fruit, rose petals, and a richness on the nose. Flavors of plum, mountain strawberry and mocha come together with a balanced mouth feel and a long finish. Though it was a cooler vintage, I feel we have still captured the powerfully elegant style for which we are known.

Review:

"The 2014 Columbia Valley Merlot (100% Merlot) is a ripe, black fruit, plum, leafy herbs and mineral-scented effort that has medium to full-bodied richness, moderate mid-palate depth and tons of upfront charm. It's going to drink nicely through 2024."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #231, June 2017), 90 pts

"The aromas bring notes of dried herb, vanilla bean, wood spice and black cherry. The flavors are rich and luscious, supported by plump ripe tannins. The finish lingers."
- Wine Enthusiast (June 2017), 91 pts

This one-hundred-percent Merlot has really nice, bright red fruit, rose petals, and a richness on the nose. Flavors of plum, mountain strawberry and mocha come together with a balanced mouth feel and a long finish. Though it was a cooler vintage, I feel we have still captured the powerfully elegant style for which we are known.

Review:

"Good dark red. Sexy, slightly exotic scents of black raspberry, blueberry, mocha, tobacco, chocolate, spices and licorice. Plush, densely packed and alive, conveying a restrained sweetness and outstanding depth to its pliant red berry, mocha and spice flavors. Spreads out to saturate the palate on the back half, finishing with serious but suave tannins and superb persistence. This utterly seamless Merlot really showcases its vintage. While it will give pleasure early for its sheer density and breadth, it maintained its verve for 48 hours in the recorked bottle and should age well. The swan song of longtime winemaker John Abbott, this beauty was finished by new winemaker Dan Wampfler. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2017), 93 pts