Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Beautiful clarity and brilliance define this with blackberry, currant and floral aromas that follow through to a full body, glorious fruit and remarkable tension. Velvety and opulent. Needs four to five years to come around. Try in 2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep inky black in color, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace is scented of blackberries, warm black plums and red and black currants with touches of fertile soil, sautéed herbs, charcuterie, new leather and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the red and black fruits layers fill the mouth, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and earthy.
Rating: 96+ -
Wine Spectator
Deftly balanced and well-proportioned, with a mix of loamy earth, dried dark berry, licorice, sage, cedar and crushed rock flavors. All the elements remain prominent throughout. Best from 2020 through 2032.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Diamond Mountain is the northernmost mountain appellation in the Mayacamas Range, on the northwest side of the valley floor, above the town of Calistoga. Defined mainly by elevation, vineyards are planted at 400 to 2,200 feet.
Diamond Mountain vineyards receive plenty of sunshine at these elevations and are typically above the coastal fog line. But given its western proximity, the area still easily cools down from early morning and late afternoon Pacific Ocean breezes. The AVA (American Viticultural Area) covers 5,000 acres but just over 500 acres are under vine.
Diamond Mountain soils, mainly weathered, red sedimentary rock and decomposed, volcanic ash, are infertile, quick-draining and produce small, thick-skinned grapes, bursting with chewy tannins.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Zinfandel have great success here.
Like other sub-appellations in Napa Valley, the Diamond Mountain area had no shortage of pioneer winemakers. Rudy von Strasser led the effort for Diamond Mountain to acquire AVA status in 1999.