La Jota Vineyard Co. Howell Mountain Merlot is a distinguished Napa Valley red wine sourced from the Howell Mountain AVA, one of Napa's first officially recognized sub-appellations. The estate traces its roots to 1898, when Frederick Hess, a Swiss immigrant, established the vineyard on 327 acres of the historic Rancho La Jota land grant. Today it is part of the Jackson Family Wines portfolio, continuing a winemaking tradition of over 125 years with an emphasis on small-lot, mountain-grown expressions.

Howell Mountain's vineyards sit between 1,400 and 2,500 feet in elevation, rising above the coastal fog that blankets the Napa Valley floor. The mountain's unique combination of cooler daytime temperatures, warm evenings, and rocky volcanic soils — composed of rhyolitic tuff and iron-laden red clay — forces the vines to struggle, yielding small, intensely flavored berries with thick skins. The result is a deeply colored, full-bodied Merlot with pronounced tannins, excellent structure, and significant aging potential.

Tasting notes vary by vintage but consistently emphasize dark fruit (plum, huckleberry, Luxardo cherry, cassis), layered with mineral, graphite, bittersweet chocolate, and dried herb nuances leading to a long, balanced finish. Alcohol content is approximately 14.5% ABV. The 2016 vintage earned Wine Spectator Top 100 recognition (#37), reflecting the wine's critical standing.