Diamond Creek Vineyards Red Rock Terrace Napa Valley 2018

Description

Napa Valley has dozens of superb winemakers today but during the modern renaissance that began in the decade and more after the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting, there were just a handful of names with reputations for outstanding quality – Opus One, Mondavi, Joseph Phelps, Stag’s Leap and Silver Oak. But one name stood above others for its mystique, evocatively named wines and determination to be different: Diamond Creek Vineyards.

Everything about Diamond Creek can be considered pioneering. When Al Brounstein bought virgin land on the forested hills south of Calistoga, it was considered too cool to grow any wine grapes let alone Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact the idea of mountain Cabernet hadn’t crystallised yet and wouldn’t do so until Randy Dunn started releasing Howell Mountain wines in the late 70s, and during the 80s mountains Cabernets were the first cult Napa wines. When the land was cleared and they discovered the three distinctly different soil types on the property, they decided to follow a Burgundian approach and plant according to site and soil. This completely turned the Bordeaux-model (blending Cabernet from vineyards right across the valley) on its head but prefaced by several decades the release of not only single vineyard wines, but even wines from specific areas of Napa (like Rutherford and Oakville).

The wines of Diamond Creek were also some of the most expensive in Napa from their very first release. They remained at the top of Napa’s fame until the likes of Screaming Eagle and Harlan began to make waves with their more luscious and immediate styles in the mid 1990s. The firm mountain tannins, and moderate alcohol levels (rarely above 13%) fell out of favour and Diamond Creek went through a lean period from the late 1990s for at least a decade. The wines began to improve again and by the time the highly regarded 2013s were released it was clear the wines were back on top form. Recent vintages have continued to showcase the estates structural strengths whilst coming into the modern era with less severity of the tannins and a much more seductive appeal.

Meanwhile the old-school labels evoke genuine excitement on the table. And yet they have a clear, almost aloof personality reminiscent of the great Monte Bello reds from Ridge Vineyards – two estates that march to the beat of their own drums.

The release of the 2018s coincides with the recent change in ownership of Diamond Creek. Founder Al Brounstein passed away nearly two decades ago, and his wife Boots in 2019. Champagne Louis Roederer stepped in earlier this year to acquire the estate, which comprises 79 acres of land and around 20 acres of vineyards. The entire winemaking team who have been in place for thirty years will remain in charge, transitioning to new winemaking operations over the coming years. The investment that Roederer will bring and skilled marketing can only see the estate thrive in years to come.

Red Rock Terrace is a terraced, 7-acre site next the winery this is always layered with darker fruits, with notes of menthol and mint and cassis, underpinned by licorice and a richer tannin substructure. A north-facing site with very high iron content in the soil, Red Rock Terrace always a distinctive power and opulence and shows terrifically well in its youth.. Justin Knock MW

'The best wines have fantastic intensity and depth without being concentrated/weighty, offering bright, crunchy fruit profiles.' Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

Please note, that this is stored at ideal, temperature-controlled conditions in our bonded warehouse, and might therefore take up to one week to be delivered.