2016 Dana Estates Hershey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Simply put, this is the wine that make Dana Estates what it is. And while our relationship with Dana, coupled with our members’ unprecedented support for the Onda, has secured us this allocation from the stellar 2016 vintage, it hasn’t gotten us much: Our share is so small, we’re only reaching out to the top 1% of Cabernet-buying members at Wine Access. We hope you’ll join us in claiming a few bottles to add to your top-tier California Cabernet collection. 

The Hershey Vineyard sits high (1800 feet, to be exact) on Howell Mountain and has rocky soils high in rhyolite, which is a volcanic rock that imbues the wine with a lively mineral energy and complexity. The 100-point 2016 Hershey Vineyard Cabernet boasts the quintessential Cabernet aromatics of blueberry, black currant, graphite, tobacco, violet, and cedar, melding seamlessly with flourishes of mocha, lavender, and earth. Wines from Hershey (and Howell Mountain) are prized for their age-worthiness, and this is a true luxury Cabernet that will evolve for decades. As James Suckling put it in his 100-point review: “Perfect. Hard not to drink now, but better after four to five years.”

Hershey Vineyard, because of its position above the fog line on Howell Mountain, is always bathed in glorious sunshine, which presents in the wine’s beautiful ripe fruit, accented with smoky minerality, forest floor, tar, and anise. The wind is strong up on the mountain, and results in sturdy-skinned grapes that imbue the wine with the lithe and structured mountain tannins that are responsible for its longevity. 

Although every modern option is afforded, the winemaking at Dana is remarkably old-school. Winemaker Chris Cooney steers the ship, working closely with consultant Philippe Melka. Incredibly, they’ve got three fermentation rooms: one for cement tanks, one for oak aging, and one for barrel fermenting—all uniquely paired with a vineyard site, something rather unheard of even in Napa. 

This wine is the product of an incredible site and an uncompromising dedication to quality, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer it to you. 

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 16.00%
• 2 hours
• Now – 2054
• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Serving temperature – 62°
• Cork