Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Cabernet Franc Howell Mountain was aged for 22 months in oak, 65% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with a lifted, perfumed nose of red roses, kirsch, red plums and red currant jelly, followed by hints of mulberries, pencil shavings and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular red fruit, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with loads of earthy sparks. 547 cases were made.

The 2018 Cabernet Franc is fabulous. Like all of these wines, the La Jota Franc is a wine from Howell Mountain first and foremost. Black cherry, gravel, spice, leather, licorice and intense mineral notes infuse the Franc with so much energy and character. I would give the tannins a few years to soften. This is another super distinctive, ample wine from La Jota. The oak is a bit prominent at this stage, but it dissipates with time as more red-toned Franc nuances emerge.

The 2018 Cabernet Franc is all varietal and offers a rich, medium to full-bodied style with plenty of dark, chocolately fruit as well as notes of tobacco, leafy herbs, and graphite. It has some upfront appeal, with beautiful fruit, but there are ample mountain tannins, and it's going to benefit from a solid 2-4 years of bottle age.

This is a varietally pleasing and well-made wine, bright and full bodied, with bursts of violet, lavender and herbes de Provence dotting a core of dense black cherry and currant. Structured in moutain-grown tannin, it holds a grip throughout, finishing in a note of coffee bean.