Estimate
Scents of pine resin and hints of mint accent black cherry and cassis notes on the nose of Ink Grade's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. It's a sturdy, wiry effort, with the ample tannins and coiled intensity that often mark mountain wines, followed by a lingering, gently astringent finish. Like the other reds from Ink Grade, it spent time in a combination of oak tanks and barrels, yet the wood is scarcely noticeable.
Rock-solid, with tarry-edged grip supporting a core of steeped black currant and blackberry reduction, while singed mesquite and apple wood accents and a licorice root note fill in on the finish.