Winemaker Notes
This wine is a unique blend of Von Strasser's finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Malbec blocks. Lush aromas of big red fruit, dark chocolate, vanilla and supple spices entice the taste-buds. Dense flavors of dark berries and cocoa nib lead into an elegant, impeccably balanced finish of caramel, pie spice, pepper, and sweet Cuban tobacco.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine & Spirits
Rudy von Strasser’s Reserve is an unusual blend of equal parts cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot, with 20 percent malbec and merlot. Petit verdot requires the right conditions to ripen and is usually used only in small amounts as a blending grape for its color and tannins. Here, those muscular tannins are in full force, wrestling the rich cherry and black licorice flavors to the ground so you’re left breathing earth. Wildly powerful, austere in its structure and bitter red spice, this is tight and youthfully closed, needing years to mellow.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.