95 points, Vinous

The 2021 Zinfandel Green & Red is fabulous. Bright and vibrant to the core, it offers up generous dark-red-toned fruit intermingles with floral, earthy and savory notes. More than anything else, I admire the wine's dynamaic energy and complex personality. This is a wine of remendous character from one of the most distinguished Zinfandel sites in Napa Valley. Don't miss it.

~Antonio Galloni, November, 2025

96 points, Vinous

The 2021 Syrah Howell Mountain is an incredibly elegant wine, as hard as that may seem to believe. Floral overtones meld into a core of red/purplish fruit, cinnamon, lavender, rose petal and mocha.

This deceptively mid-weight Syrah offers tons of understated depth, virile power and persistence in an understated style that is hugely appealing.

~Antonio Galloni, November, 2025

91 points, Wine Advocate

Sourced from the Rust Ridge vineyard in Chiles Valley, Retro’s 2019 Old Vine Zinfandel hints at blueberries and stone fruit (apricot?). It spent 19 months in 20% new French oak, but the oak isn’t obvious in the slightest. Medium-to-full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins, it adds dusty earth notes on the long, silky finish. 

October 2025

96 points, Vinous

The 2018 Petite Syrah Elevation Howell Mountain is another stunning wine in this range from Mike and Kara Dunn. Inky, heady and explosive, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, blood orange and star anise all meld together seamlessly. The decision to release this with a few years of bottle age is prudent, as the Retro Petite packs a very serious punch of acid and tannin on the back end.

~Antonio Galloni, November, 2025

93 points, Vinous

"Retro's 2018 Syrah is powerful and massively tannic to the core. Inky dark fruit, black pepper, gravel, incense and spice build in the glass, framed by incisive tannins that wrap it all together. The 2018 is a beast of a wine. I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle anytime soon."

90 points, Vinous

"The 2018 Zinfandel is a rich, heady wine. Super-ripe red cherry, kirsch and blood orange lend an exotic flair. This full-bodied, flamboyant Zinfandel is a bit over the top in terms of intensity and ripeness, but it all works well."

92 points, Vinous

"The 2017 Zinfandel is rich and boiserous right out of the gate. Super-ripe red cherry, spice, leather and licorice are all kicked up in this juicy, exuberant Zinfandel from Mike Dunn's Retro label. All of this fruit is sourced from a dry-farmed site in Chiles Valley"

95 points, Vinous

The 2017 Petite Sirah Elevation Howell Mountain is another dynamite wine from Mike and Kara Dunn's Retro Cellars. Wild and complex in the glass, the 2017 possesses notable sheen and dynamic energy. Dark fruit, forest floor, dried herbs, chocolate and graphite all race across the palate. At nearly seven years of age, the 2017 retains gorgeous freshness and, above all else, persistence.

~Antonio Galloni, December 2024

94 points, Vinous

"The 2017 Syrah is a potent, heady wine that shows just how compelling Syrah can be on Howell Mountain. Black fruit, sage, mint, licorice are some of the many aromas and flavors that open in the glass. Readers will find a deep, layered wine bursting with mountain structure."

94 points, Vinous

The 2016 Petite Sirah Elevation is a gorgeous Howell Mountain wine. Swaths of tannin wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit. This powerhouse Petite packs a serious punch of both fruit and tannin. Spice, lavender, licorice and menthol add layers to the huge, inky finish.

~Antonio Galloni, October 2022

95 points, Vinous

The 2015 Petite Sirah Park-Muscatine is the last Petite from this historic Dunn site before it was redeveloped with Cabernet Sauvignon. The Park Muscatine Petite is most likely a field blend of the sort that was once quite common, which explains its bright acid profile and exotic, floral bouquet. A wine of energy and nuance, the 2015 is superb, and also much more refined than what most readers are likely to expect. Rose petal, lavender, mint and spice linger on the long, silky finish.

~Antonio Galloni, October 2021

94 points, Vinous

"The 2015 Petite Sirah Los Abuelos Vineyard is bright and aromatic, qualitities that work so well in balancing the natural richness of Petite. Sweet floral and spice notes meld into a core of red/purplish berry fruit. The bouquet alone is enticing, but there is plenty of depth and a ton of personality to go along with it all."

95 points, Vinous

"The 2014 Petite Sirah (Howell Mountain) is another drop-dead gorgeous wine from Retro. Savory, powerful and dense, the 2014 has so much to offer. A rush of graphite, smoke, tobacco, incense and cured meats builds as the large-scaled, expressive Petite shows off its pefigree and personality. The 2014 is a blend of fruit from Dunn's Park Muscatine vineyard, planted in 2980, and a parcel of younger vines that date to 2004."

94 points, Vinous

The 2013 Petite Sirah (Howell Mountain) is another gorgeous wine from Mike and Kara Dunn. There is plenty of Howell Mountain density, plushness and structure, while the hefty Petite tannins have been somewhat domesticated. A host of game, smoke, tobacco and licorice overtones are woven throughout this super-expressive, intriguing Petite.

~Antonio Galloni, September 2017

91 points, Vinous

The 2010 Petite Syrah is a dark, brooding beauty. Black cherries, plums, licorice, new leather and menthol. Time in bottle has softened some of the contours, something that Petite can always benefit from. The 2010 was made from Randy Dunn's Park Muscatine Vineyard, the source of Dunn's own 1990s Petite. Mike and Kara Dunn brought in their fruit in November and gave the wine 30 months in barrel. Dollops of Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon round out this distinctive Howell Mountain Petite Sirah. The 2010 is quite a bit more expressive than it was last year.

~Antonio Galloni, September 2014