Thread Feathers Winery Howell Mountian Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Howell Mountain’s wine‑growing heritage stretches back to the late 19th century, when pioneering growers such as La Jota Vineyard Co. and the estates of W.S. Keyes earned accolades in international competitions for their hillside fruit. The region was officially designated an AVA in 1983—the first sub‑appellation within Napa Valley—validating the unique character of its fruit. What makes Howell Mountain especially valued by winemakers is its steep elevation above the fog line, combined with volcanic soils and rigorous growing conditions. These factors create grapes with intense flavour, smaller berries and thicker skins, which yield wines built for structure and complexity.

Renowned producers continually source fruit from or maintain vineyards in this appellation because its fruit adds a “mountain signature” of concentration and longevity to the final wine. For example, Duckhorn Vineyards markets a Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from this region, emphasizing deep colour and structure. Likewise, Pine Ridge Vineyards lists a Howell Mountain Cabernet in its portfolio, showcasing the premium venues that value the terroir’s edge.

Food Pairing Suggestions

For the 2023 Thread Feathers Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, consider pairing it with a herb‑crusted rack of lamb roasted with rosemary and garlic, where the aromatic herbs mirror the wine’s bay‑leaf and huckleberry brush notes. A grilled ribeye with a peppercorn crust brings out the dark‑berry richness and vanilla pastry crust character, as well as the savoury leather hint in the wine. For a vegetarian route, a wild mushroom ragout with truffle oil and aged Manchego cheese complements the wine’s savoury depth and perfumed florals. On the cheese board, offer an aged Tomme de Savoie or a well‑matured Gouda alongside dark cherry preserves and walnuts, where the fruit and texture will reflect the wine’s ripe black‑currant and vanilla‑pastry components.

Perched above the valley floor on Napa’s northeastern ridgeline, Howell Mountain is one of the region’s most celebrated sub-appellations — and one of the first to be granted official AVA status back in 1983. The vineyards here sit at elevations starting around 1,400 feet and rising to nearly 2,200 feet, high above the morning fog that blankets much of Napa Valley. That altitude is key: the combination of intense sunlight, cooler daytime temperatures, and well-drained volcanic soils gives Howell Mountain wines their signature structure and longevity.

Unlike the deeper, loamy valley-floor soils that encourage lush fruit, Howell Mountain’s tufa, red clay, and fractured volcanic ash force vines to struggle. The result? Smaller berries with thick skins, deeply concentrated color, and elevated tannins — the building blocks of powerful, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon.

The diurnal temperature swing also plays a major role: while the afternoons are warm enough to ripen fruit fully, the cooler nights preserve acidity and aromatic lift. This balance between ripeness and restraint produces Cabernets that are bold yet refined, with hallmark notes of blackcurrant, graphite, cedar, and mountain herbs, underscored by a mineral backbone that reflects the mountain’s rugged terrain.

In the world of Napa Cabernet, Howell Mountain stands apart for its distinct sense of place — wines that speak of altitude and edge, with firm structure, purity of fruit, and an unmistakable mountain energy. It’s the terroir that collectors and sommeliers alike turn to when they crave something that’s not just powerful, but profoundly expressive.