Lot 61 is an estate-grown Howell Mountain Cabernet from a producer Cam has sourced from multiple times — the same winery as Lot 67 Knights Valley Cabernet — well over $100/bottle under their own label. Claude’s source guess is Robert Craig Winery. See also: Lot 67.
Lot 61 — 2024 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
Lot Overview
- Region: Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
- Vintage: 2024
- Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec (producer’s final blend, may change slightly)
- Alcohol: 15%
- Oak Aging: 65–70% new French oak
- Cases Available: ~115
- Cam Price: ~$25/bottle ($299/case)
- Retail Estimate: $150+/bottle
- Claude’s Source Guess: Robert Craig Winery — Howell Mountain Estate
- Wine Berserkers Guess: No Consensus
- Drink Window: 2028–2045 (peak 2030–2040)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Dear Friends,
I have a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon offer for you today!
Lot 61 is a gorgeous, estate-grown Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from a highly regarded producer with a long history of producing exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon from this iconic appellation. The producer sells this wine for well over $100/bottle and it is a fantastic deal at $149/case DELIVERED.
At just $149/case DELIVERED, this is a mind-blowing deal for world-class Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon!
Tasting Notes
Lot 61 is a gorgeous, estate-grown Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from a highly regarded producer with a long history of producing exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon from this iconic appellation. The producer sells this wine for well over $100/bottle and it is a fantastic deal at $149/case DELIVERED.
Deep ruby/purple in the glass with an opaque core. The bouquet is immediately expressive and complex with ripe blackberry, cassis and plum notes beautifully complexed with graphite, cedar and tobacco. With air, the bouquet opens further with spicy oak and floral notes along with a lovely mineral halo. Rich and powerful on entry with a beautifully integrated structure of full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with mouthwatering acidity carrying ripe blackberry and cassis fruit laced with graphite and cedar to a long, sustained finish. Beautifully balanced with tremendous elegance and complexity, this gorgeous Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is a must-have for Cabernet lovers!
⏳ Bottle Shock Status
Recently bottled — Spring 2026. Best after 2028 with significant cellaring potential.
Claude’s Source Guess: Robert Craig Winery — Howell Mountain Estate
This is about as close to a slam dunk as it gets in the negociant guessing game. Cam drops a set of clues that point to a single producer with unusual precision.
The critical clue is the description of a winery “renowned for producing sub-AVA Cabernets from various rocky, high-elevation mountain sites around Napa Valley” that sells exclusively through “tasting room, website and mailing list.” That is Robert Craig Winery’s identity in a single sentence — they produce Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain District, Mount Veeder, and Diamond Mountain District Cabernets, all from sites above 1,850 feet, and they are a direct-to-consumer only operation with a tasting salon in downtown Napa.
The entry-level price clue locks it in. Cam says the producer’s entry-level Napa Cab is $125/bottle. Robert Craig’s Affinity Cabernet (their Coombsville/valley floor offering, which they themselves describe as their “entry level” selection) sells for approximately $120–$125 — an exact match. Their mountain-designated Cabernets (Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, Mount Veeder) run $100–$150+ at retail, with the Howell Mountain estate wine consistently the flagship and most expensive in the lineup.
The blend composition is also a Robert Craig signature. Their recent Howell Mountain releases have consistently used Malbec as the blending component alongside Cabernet Sauvignon — the 2018 and 2019 vintages were 90–92% Cab with 6–9% Malbec — which matches Lot 61’s 95% Cab / 5% Malbec blend precisely.
Finally, the tasting notes — crushed red rock, volcanic minerality, dense black fruit, chalk-laced tannins — are textbook Howell Mountain from a 2,300-foot volcanic ridge site, and match the house style Robert Craig has been producing since 1992.
✅ Confidence: Very high. The combination of the “multiple mountain sub-AVA” identity, the DTC-only distribution, the entry-level price anchor at $125, and the Malbec-blended Howell Mountain Cab leaves very little room for another candidate.
Drink Window
Early Enjoyment: 2028 at the earliest, and only with aggressive decanting. At 15% alcohol and 65–70% new French oak, this wine is going to need time.
Peak Drinking: 2030–2040. The big-grained chalky tannins Cam describes are the signature of Howell Mountain volcanic soils — they are structured for the long haul and will take years to fully resolve.
Hold Potential: 2045 and beyond with proper storage. Howell Mountain Cabs from serious producers routinely age 20–30 years. The 2024 vintage’s combination of power and vibrancy Cam describes suggests exceptional longevity.
My Call: ⏳ Drink window: 2028–2045 (peak 2030–2040)