Granite Lake

  • Low vigor

  • Organically grown

  • Non-hedged

  • No till

  • Small berries

  • Persona: Serena Williams, meaning: powerful, feminine, and impressive core strength

Howell Mountain

Granite Lake

Granite Lake doesn’t just sit within the Howell Mountain AVA—it crowns the mountain’s ridgeline. Its soils are dusty and red, rich in iron and volcanic debris deposited during the valley’s turbulent secondary eruptions. This combination of low-vigor soil, a 10% slope, and an elevation of 2,097 feet forms a near-perfect recipe for a classically styled Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine channels this terroir with approachable yet firm tannins, a low pH, and savory acidity. It’s our wine with the most power and ballast. Perched above the fog line, it expresses warm red fruits—raspberry, strawberry, and plum—balanced by notes of charcoal, red rose, rainwater minerality, and herb.

  • Granite Lake end post

    Soils as red as Roland Garros

  • Granite and the lakes

    The plateau's granite and the alpine lakes

  • Vine shoot in Granite Lake

    Above the fog line - warm and red

  • Night harvest at Granite Lake

    Night harvest

  • Granite Lake bottle

    Granite Lake typeface = Perpetua

2023 Granite Lake

  • 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

  • Howell Mountain AVA

  • Elevation: 2,097 feet

  • Slope: 10.9%

  • Aspect: Southeast (154.4°)

  • Bedrock depth: 50 inches

  • No-till farming

  • Organically grown

  • Harvest date: 10/5/2023

  • 13% Alcohol by Volume

  • 3.51 pH

  • Minimum effective SO2

  • Neither fined nor filtered

  • No Velcorin ®

  • Vegan

  • Zero residual sugar

  • Natural, non-GMO yeast

  • Aged 22 months in French Oak

  • Just 33% new barrique

  • Cooperage: Taransaud Ref. 112

  • 222 cases crafted

  • Typeface: Perpetua by Eric Gill circa 1925

  • $125 per 750ml

  • 99 points | "Gorgeously red-fruited, with rose petal nuances and a symphony of mineral intensity ... walking through a redwood grove"

    Decanter | “This is Howell Mountain reimagined – a wine that makes you fall in love with the region all over again, but in an entirely different way. Gorgeously red-fruited, with rose petal nuances and a symphony of mineral intensity evocative of walking through a redwood grove, it carries notes of loamy earth and redwood bark, alongside vivid tobacco and elegant cedar character. Mineral-laced tannins frame a surge of blood orange acidity, revealing a charming, vibrant and energetic expression. Far from a simple steak-and-potatoes wine, it has the acid verve to cut through even the most tender filet mignon, perhaps even acting as the salt itself were the dish under-seasoned. Just gorgeous. Drink 2026-2050 Alc 13%” Pilcrow, Granite Lake, Howell Mountain 2023

  • 94 points | "blueberries, crushed stone and a hint of pine resin ... juicy and mouthwatering, with a long finish"

    Robert Parker Wine Advocate | “Marked by scents of blueberries, crushed stone and a hint of pine resin, Pilcrow's 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Granite Lake comes from a vineyard atop Howell Mountain at an elevation of 2,097 feet above sea level. With just 13% alcohol, it's nevertheless juicy and mouthwatering, with a long finish framed by silky tannins.” May 07, 2026

  • 95 points | "Crushed stone, fir branches and blueberries make an intense impression ... ripe, silky tannins that linger"

    Robert Parker Wine Advocate | “My favorite of the 2022s from Pilcrow is the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Granite Lake, which originates high atop Howell Mountain. Crushed stone, fir branches and blueberries make an intense impression on the nose, while the palate is medium- to full-bodied, with just enough flesh to be welcoming, framed by ripe, silky tannins that linger through the extended finish.” May 07, 2026

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