2018 Good Decisions Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Napa Valley 750 ml

This is a winning streak, bottled. From the 100-point source estate, to the landmark vintage, to the pristine Howell Mountain terroir, to the extended aging regimen, it’s the culmination of dozens of on-the-money decisions.   

Unless you already have an in with this in-demand source (or a well-connected friend) it’s nearly impossible to get a taste of this terroir. That’s because their tiny-production, top-scoring Cabernets are typically bought up by a packed-full mailing list, which has an equally packed-full waiting list. 

They’re a dream source, and the one that kicked off our year-long streak of good decisions. Mountain Cabernet rarely gets bolder, more concentrated, or flat-out better than this. A 2018 Cabernet from this NDA-veiled estate earned a perfect 100 points, which says everything you need to know about their scrupulous devotion to vineyard excellence. If we could give you the name, you’d see how much ink critics have spilled praising our source’s wines—wines that deserve every penny of their $350 SRP. 

They floored Vinous’ Antonio Galloni, who praised the 2018s as “monumental” and “some of the most compelling wines being made in Napa Valley today.” Wine Advocate kept it short, but no less powerful: “Wow.”

If you do happen to stumble upon our source’s Cabernet on the open market, take a moment to consider how lucky you are, then check the price tag. It’ll definitely have three digits, and it won’t include a “1” or “2”. Maybe not even a “3.” Today, the 2018 Good Decisions is $40.

When critics collectors fawn over the power of Napa’s high-end mountain Cabernet, when collectors race to stock their cellars with top bottles, this is what they’re after: Power and grace in equal portions. Rich fruit with savory depth and fine-grained tannins. Everyone should get to experience this kind of high-caliber Napa Cabernet, and today’s price makes that possible.

We kept the good decisions rolling by tapping a 2018 vintage that James Suckling said could be “a new benchmark for Napa Valley reds.” In what Wine Spectator called a “near picture-perfect growing season,” Cabernet ripened slowly, developing an incredible depth of flavor, amplified by Howell Mountain’s signature power and intensity. After a 20-month aging regimen, this wine is complex, polished, and age-worthy.  

On Howell Mountain, broad-shouldered boldness is the name of the game, and the 2018 Good Decisions perfectly embodies the style. Above the fog line, the golden sunlight combines with the coolness that comes with the elevation to produce small and intensely concentrated Cabernet. That balletic power is what has attracted iconic wineries like Hundred Acre, Lokoya, and Cade to harness Howell Mountain terroir in bottles that run deep into triple-digit price territory. 

This is exceptional Howell Mountain Cabernet, and the easiest good decision you’ll make all week. Pack away as much as you can.