ProducerHowell Mountain
Dunn Vineyards
ダン・ヴィンヤーズ
The definitive benchmark for age-worthy, terroir-driven Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.
The benchmark Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon producer, known for exceptionally long-lived wines of great power and structure from volcanic mountain soils above the Napa fog line.
www.dunnvineyards.com/ ↗Cuvées
Who Is This For?
For serious collectors and traditionalists who value restraint, acidity, and firm structure over ripeness and oak, and who are willing to cellar a wine for a decade or more before opening it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who founded Dunn Vineyards and when?
- Randy and Lori Dunn purchased a 14-acre property on Howell Mountain in 1978 and produced their first vintage in 1979, with the winery officially bonded in 1981. Randy Dunn had previously been the winemaker at Caymus Vineyards, where he helped build the reputation of its Special Selection Cabernet.
- What is the signature style of Dunn Vineyards?
- Dunn Vineyards is defined by powerful, structured, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon that emphasizes acidity and terroir over excessive ripeness. Randy Dunn was an early and outspoken critic of rising alcohol levels and heavy new oak in Napa Cabernet, and the estate has long kept alcohol levels moderate, using techniques such as reverse osmosis when needed.
- What wines does Dunn Vineyards produce?
- The estate produces two Cabernet Sauvignons made in an identical style: the flagship Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from estate mountain fruit, and a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon sourced more broadly. Both are aged roughly 30 months in French oak barrels.
- Are Dunn wines ready to drink on release?
- No. Dunn wines are built for long-term cellaring, typically needing a decade or more to soften their firm tannins and reveal full complexity; top vintages can age gracefully for 20-30 years or longer.
- Is Dunn Vineyards still family-run?
- Yes. Randy Dunn's son, Mike Dunn, joined the family winery in 1999 and has since taken on the principal winemaking role, continuing the estate's traditional, low-intervention approach while refining details such as the barrel program.