Hauntingly dark in the glass at first sight, our 2017 Howell Mountain Petit Verdot exhibits the classic characteristics of this highly tannic, black fruit grape. The light crop and smaller than normal berries produced a dense, chewy, full structured wine with firm tannins. On the palate, the hints of blackberry, blueberry and earthy, cigar box and leather notes fought its way through the tannins. This wine continues its dark fruit decent into the palate and finishes with a long mouth-drying finish with firm tannins and gripping acid, begging for this wine to be cellared up to 10-12 years.