Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill
2019
Diamond Creek is a true California legend: rare (only 1,500 total cases of three 'regular' bottlings, with tiny additional quantities from the miniscule Lake vineyard in favorable vintages), expensive, and talked or written about much more often than actually tasted. Furthermore, even the most rabid devotees of Napa cab have never seen the place - and they never will, no matter how many times they traverse Highway 29 or the Silverado Trail. In fact "Napa Valley" almost seems a silly appellation...
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Volcanic Hill is comprised of 8 acres of south facing hillside vineyard. It is the warmest of all our micro-climates. The color of the soil is gray, and the consistency is that of fluffy, volcanic ash, originally deposited from the eruption of Mt. Konocti 8 million years ago. Volcanic Hill is the longest lived of our wines.
The Volcanic Hill bottling includes a small amount of the extra-ordinary Petit Verdot grape variety. The wine is full bodied and loaded with intense ripe berry fruits, cassis, violets and a smoky richness on the nose and palate, finishing with good length and firm tannins.
The palate is focused and powerful with a big concentration of creamy black and blue berry fruits, very fine grained, stern, mineral graphite tannins and an incredibly compact, precise yet generous mouthfeel. Lovely balance and seductive power. A real WOW wine!
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Dark plums and blackcurrants with mint and spearmint undertones. Some ink, too. Medium to full body with fine, creamy tannins. Long and beautiful, fruity finish with dark fruit. Needs times to show itself. A little shy. Try after 2026.
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Fresh and zesty in feel, with a racy-edged set of raspberry, red currant and bitter plum coulis flavors inlaid with violet and singed alder and apple wood accents. A long iron tang runs underneath on the finish, adding length and cut. Best from 2024 through 2040
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