Bottle Image

Ink Grade

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Digital Assets

Front Label Image

Back Label Image

Sell Sheet Image

Shelf Talker

Beauty Shot Image

Beauty Shot Image

Beauty Shot Image

Brand Video

Vineyards Image

Vineyards Image

Vineyards Image

Vineyards Image

Vineyards Image

Vineyards Image

Vineyards Image

Winemaker Photo

Logo Image

Vintage Wine Name	Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Vintage	2018
Wine Description	Crafted from Ink Grade's highest elevation parcels, vines are hand-selected to express the purity and pedigree of this vineyard. The wine is made using gentle processing techniques throughout fermentation, employing less new oak and larger aging vessels. The resulting wine is profound and possesses tension while remaining fresh and bright. A distinctive artifact of place, Ink Grade Cabernet Sauvignon is truly a grand cru of Howell Mountain.
Region	Napa Valley
Appellation	Howell Mountain AVA
Varietal Composition	100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard Details	Ink Grade features Howell Mountain AVA’s northernmost vineyards and some of its highest (up to 2,200ft).
Tasting notes	The 2019 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon carries the flinty graphite signature of this special terroir, highlighting the vibrant red fruit character, while showcasing notes of cedar and spices. The luscious texture of this vintage was achieved by utilizing large aging vessels during the elevage process, resulting in a beautifully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon with great aging potential.
Pairing notes	n/a
Alcohol %	14
Aging	8 months in oak tanks, 24 months in barrel (85% new)
SRP	198

Highest Score	95, James Suckling
Highest Score Review Copy	Very beautiful aromas of blackcurrants, violets, and lavender with hints of sandalwood. Medium to full body. Chewy mountain tannins, but they are so well integrated and polished that they melt into the wine. Hints of dried cocoa powder at the end with some cedar. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
Acclaim	95, James Suckling 93+, Wine Advocate 93, Wine Spectator
Feature Bullet 1	Howell Mountain’s first monopole estate, first planted with vines in 1873 by visionary pioneer, Theron Ink.
Feature Bullet 2	800 wild acres, of which 200 are farmed organically and biodynamically since their planting over 35 years ago. Largest biodynamically-farmed vineyard in Napa County.
Feature Bullet 3	Winemaker Matt Taylor learned winemaking from legends like Rod Berglund at Joseph Swan and Jacques Seysses at Domaine Dujac.
Feature Bullet 4	History dates back to 1873, current vines replanted under Heitz Cellar in 1990-1991. Cabernet vines are 35 years, rare in Napa.
Feature Bullet 5	Howell Mountain AVA’s most graceful, classically-styled wines, made to drink well on release and age for decades.

Winery	Ink Grade
Winery Description	The Ink Grade Estate Vineyard claims a view unbeknownst to most in the Napa Valley. Set among densely forested pines and sequoia stands, it lies in the north-east corner of the Howell Mountain AVA with a predominant view facing East. Terraced throughout due to the extreme slope, this mountainside vineyard grasps to volcanic “tufa” soils. Ink Grade Estate possesses a raw tension that renders fruit of immense intensity and depth. If ever there was a site which imparted a feeling of reverence, Ink Grade is such a place. Winemaker Matt Taylor is formerly of Araujo Eisele and Domaine Dujac, and handles this rugged terrain with care and expertise.
Winery Instagram Handle	@inkgradeestate
Winemaker	Matt Taylor
Winemaker Bio	Matt Taylor was born and raised in Sonoma County. Growing up, his parents did not drink, and he was first introduced to the world of wine by his best friend’s dad, Chris Bilbro, who owned Marietta Cellars in Geyserville. His earliest memories of wine would be mushroom hunting or pig hunting, followed by preparing a meal accompanied by a good bottle of wine. While in college, Matt played football at the University of Washington, winning a Pac-10 championship. However, after suffering two herniated disks in his back, Matt decided to give up the game and pursue winemaking. Matt lived in Cádiz, Spain for nearly two years, where he was able to study and work in a Bodega in Jerez. Upon returning to the US, he was hired as assistant winemaker at Joseph Swan in the Russian River Valley, where he worked the 2000 and 2001 vintages. In 2001, he enrolled in Fresno State University where he earned his post-Baccalaureate degree in Viticulture & Enology. He focused on whole cluster while at Fresno State, which led him to meet Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac. This meeting led to an internship at Domaine Dujac under Jacques Seysses for the 2004 vintage. Upon finishing his Viticulture & Enology degree, he joined Araujo Estate Wines to manage the vineyards and act as assistant winemaker to Francoise Peschon. The Araujos also allowed him to work harvests in Argentina and New Zealand. He would go on to become Head Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Araujo Estate Wines. After the 2010 vintage, Matt departed Araujo for two new endeavors: Reuling Vineyard, a Sonoma Coast project focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and Front Porch Farm, an organic and biodynamic farm where Matt converted the vineyards to grafted Rhone varieties. From 2014 to 2018, Matt joined Napa Valley winery Chamboulé, where his tenure was crucial to his development, in terms of research, making wines naturally, and his stylistic approach to winemaking. Matt would go on to form his own project, Matt Taylor Wines, focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the West Sonoma Coast and a soon-to-be added Loire-based component. He has also made wines for 32 Winds Wines in Healdsburg, a boutique winery specializing in Sonoma County grapes. In March 2020, Matt joined Lawrence Wine Estates as winemaker for Ink Grade, a new label launching in September 2021. The Ink Grade Estate Vineyard lies in the north-east corner of the Howell Mountain AVA in Napa Valley, boasting scenic views of forested pines and sequoia and rendering pure, intense fruit.