Nose

It’s all here: blackberry compote, boysenberry jam, black raspberry preserves, and dark chocolate sweetness.

Palate

This is an ultra-luxury wine bordering on decadent with its showcase of Howell Mountain seductive aromatics, velvety palate of fascinating complexity and a lingering finish which remains when you set down your glass.

Growing Conditions

Vintage 2016 was the last of a five-year drought in Napa Valley, so there was worry that the vineyards would be tired and thus struggle to produce fully ripe fruit. That certainly turned out not to be true. The 2016 wines are replete with intense aromas and immense flavors. With the 2016 Mole Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain shines forth with black fruits, driving acidity, complex tannins, and great energy and vibrancy. Clearly one of the very best Mole Hill bottlings ever, it reflects the fabulous 2016 vintage all the way through.

Harvest

Mole Hill, Howell Mountain

Mole Hill is our three-acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard with loam soil approximately two feet deep. Planted in 1993 and 1994, it is nestled beside a gorge on Howell Mountain at 1700 feet with a western exposure.

The gorge acts as an elevator shaft from the valley floor, creating a unique microclimate for the vineyard. Small rocks are prolific and rise to the surface like cream in coffee. In combination with soil depth, this creates a spartan home for the vines, generating a concentration of flavors in the grapes. Each year, we harvest Mole Hill multiple times to capture the unique flavors expressed in each part of the vineyard. The beautiful, lingering finishes of the Lail Vineyards J. Daniel Cuvée begin in this jewel box as well as the single vineyard, Mole Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.

Bottling

MOLE HILL IS THE CROWN JEWEL OF LAIL VINEYARDS
Production is small and demand is big. Produced only from the best growing seasons, this serious wine also has a sense of humor. Each year the path of the mole changes on the label designating a new vintage for your collection.

Winemaking

Philippe Melka & Maayan Koschitzky, Winemakers

Aging

Twenty months in French oak; 100% new