Howell Mountain Wine Journey

I've been to Napa several times and I've found that I generally prefer the mountain wines to those of the valley. Meanwhile, I have never made it up to Howell Mountain for a tasting! Since I am moving from Los Angeles to Houston soon, the trip to Howell Mountain looks like it will be in the very distant future. My solution: I'll just bring Howell Mountain to me! I am going to start with this 2006 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet I purchased at K&L wine shop for $59.99. Here are the winemaker's notes: The 2006 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is as deep and dark in color as it is in aroma and flavors. The nose on this wine is floral and smoky with rich blackberry aromas. The entry is elegant and soft with flavors of dark cherries, blueberry, cocoa, and spiced plum. The palate is layered with well structured tannins which lead to a long and complex finish of dark currant. I am going to open this bottle tomorrow at a pre-Independence Day party. Wine tasting notes soon to follow!