Napa Valley Cabernet 2021: Top wines from Howell & Diamond Mountain

Napa Cabernet 2021: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Howell Mountain

Wine producers who source grapes and farm grapes on Napa’s Howell Mountain were already well positioned for the drought conditions presented by the 2021 vintage.

Situated above the fog line and planted on mountainous slopes that are naturally well-draining, prime vineyards in Howell Mountain often produce lower yields of small berry clusters – all made even more pronounced by the lack of precipitation in 2021.

From bud break and flowering to bloom, fruit set, and veraison, everything came in ahead of schedule and offered producers the luxury of a weeks-long harvesting window.

Most producers in this AVA are used to the kind of canopy management that helps tame the powerful tannic structure and deep fruit concentration that vines growing here provide.

The savviest producers were well positioned to take advantage of the additional depth of fruit offered up in the 2021 harvest, resulting in typically muscular reds that showcase impressive length and robust, pixelated tannins.

Scroll down for the top-scoring Howell & Diamond Mountain 2021 Cabernets

Howell Mountain at a glance

Climate:

Located above the fog line on the eastern side of the valley, the AVA is warmer and drier than other AVAs. This mountain appellation has more hours of sunshine and very little, if any, maritime influence.

Soils:

Predominantly volcanic, shallow and infertile. Drainage is high, and soil fertility is quite low.

Elevation:

1,400 to 2,600 feet (427 to 792 metres)

Howell Mountain 2021: the top-performing producers:

• Stony Hill
• Simon Family Estate
• Adamvs
• Sylvan Lake Vineyards
• Outpost

Diamond Mountain

Like the rest of Napa Valley, the 2021 growing season on Diamond Mountain – a dramatic, rugged growing area rich in volcanic soils – kicked off with only small amounts of rain, leading to a relatively small spring bud break and, eventually, small but flavour-packed grapes.

The sigh of relief? Despite being a dry year, 2021 was mostly smooth sailing in this rugged AVA, with warmth and consistency and a total lack of dramatic fire and heat events of the previous vintage. Depth and complexity rule the day when it comes to Diamond Mountain’s 2021 offerings.

Unlike most of the rest of the valley, lower-than-normal yields weren’t as much of a factor (so you’ll stand a decent chance at getting your hands on one of their exceptional 2021 releases).

The 2021 vintage on Diamond Mountain reminds Diamond Creek winemaker Graham Wehmeier of the 2013 vintage, ‘as far as structure but not the generosity of the crop,’ he said. ‘But that core and density of the tannin quality is similar.’

Diamond Mountain at a glance

Climate:

Moderately warm temperatures with lower high temps and higher lows than the floor of Napa Valley. All owing to topography and altitude. Temperatures range from 50 to 90°F (10 to 32°C) in growing season.

Soils:

Uplifted soils of volcanic origin. The soils are fine-grained, even gritty in texture, and composed of weathered sedimentary and volcanic origin.

Elevation:

400 to 2,200 feet (122 to 671 metres)

Diamond Mountain 2021: the top-performing producers:

• Diamond Creek Vineyards
• Kinsman Eades
• JH Wheeler

• Cristaldi’s value picks from these Mountain appellations:Black Stallion Estate Winery, Collector Edition Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, 2021Oleandri, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, 2021Diamond Creek Vineyards, Three Vineyard Blend, Diamond Mountain, 2021Davies Vineyards, J. Davies Estate, Diamond Mountain, 2021Materra, Cunat Family Vineyards, Diamond Mountain Reserve, Diamond Mountain, 2021Baldacci Family Vineyards, Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain, 2021

Howell & Diamond Mountain 2021: the top-scoring Cabernets

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