99+Points by James Suckling.
Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain was aged in French oak barrels for 22 months, 97% new. Blackberry, blueberry, pine cone and pine needle with some mushroom. So complex. Full bodied with incredible depth and length. Layered. Super balance and strength, yet formed and not overdone. Harmony for Howell.  Give it a good 5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20+ years.
 
Chris Carpenter named Master Winemaker of the Year 2024. The winemaker, representing Mt. Brave and Hickinbotham Wines, took the top prize as db unveiled the new edition of the Master Winemaker 100. Chris Carpenter, whose work spans several properties and two continents, was the headline winner at last night’s Master Winemakers awards ceremony. The event, held at VinExpo Paris, declared him Master Winemaker of the Year 2024, in a wide field that rewarded producers all around the world. Carpenter, along with 99 other winemakers, features in the 2024 edition of the Master Winemaker 100. The volume, published by the drinks business, rewards the very best winemakers, as determined by the Global Wine Masters competitions.
Lokoya Winery is a premium wine producer of Napa Valley, concentrating on wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon. Total production each vintage is limited and noted American critic Robert Parker has regularly dished out 100-point scores for the wines. Both of these factors have cemented Lokoya's cult status and have led to some very high prices.
Lokoya produces four varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wines, sourced from distinct hillside sites on Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Spring Mountain and Diamond Mountain. Each of the four is vinified in the same way with the intention being to showcase the terroir of each site. The wines are fermented with native yeasts and are aged in French oak for 18-22 months prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The Mount Veeder property sits at 1800 feet (550 meters) above sea level and has distinct volcanic soils, which contribute a strong mineral character in the wine. The Howell Mountain property at 1900ft (580m) above sea level has a mix of sandstone, red clay, and conifer biomatter soils. It creates a dense wine with a dark fruit and a herbaceous profile.
Across the valley, the Spring Mountain property sits at 1600ft (490m) above sea level with sedimentary soils. The wines from this property tend to have a more floral quality. Finally, Diamond Mountain in the northern part of Napa Valley ranges in altitude from 1000-1800ft (300-550m), with a mix of volcanic and loam soils. The tannins found in this wine tend to be softer than some of Lokoya's other offerings.
The winery was founded in 1995 by Jess Jackson of Jackson Family Wineries, and is named for the Native American tribe that inhabited what is now Mount Veeder in the Mayacamas Mountain range on the western side of Napa Valley.