On my recent trip to Napa Valley for the 19th annual Taste of Howell Mountain I had a chance to visit Dunn Vineyards and Retro Cellars up on Howell Mountain. After a tour of the vineyard and cave led by Kara Dunn I got to sit down and try out some wine and chat. While sipping Retro Cellars Napa Valley and Howell Mountain Petite Sirah Mike offered up some insight into the grape and other varieties that do well in the Howell Mountain micro climates.
I had a chance to sit down with Mike and Kara Dunn at the Dunn Vineyards Estate on top of Howell Mountain and talk a little bit about wine. First I tasted Mike and Kara’s new project “Retro Cellars” and then I tasted a selection of Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernets.
Randy Dunn started Dunn Vineyards over 30 years ago on some land near high up on Howell Mountain.
An original structure dating back to the 1800’s. The vine in the fore ground is over 100 years old
Some of the original structures from the 1800’s are still on the property. This includes a white two story house that serves as the laboratory and business offices of the winery. This building was actually a rest house for the pony express back in the 1800’s.
My visit included a tour of the vineyards as well as a walk into the massive cave system that Randy Dunn constructed. I’ll talk more about these things as well as the actual wine I tasted in upcoming posts…
Here’s part one of the interview with Mike. In it he discusses how he actually “came back” to wine and how he came to make Petite Sirah.
Weekly Wine Journal 