April 2004

91 DIAMOND CREEK Red Rock Terrace 2000
Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley. While never among the more for­ward and immediately accessible Cabernets, Diamond Creek bottlings generally convey good depth and are built along very solid lines. In 2000, the winery style is again plainly evident, and this particular ren­dition packs plenty of deep fruit and very rich oak into its tannin­toughened frame. Clearly a wine to be held for a decade or more, it nevertheless shows tantalizing hints of loamy complexities to come and is a comfortable candidate for long-term aging.

93 DIAMOND CREEK Volcanic Hill 2000
Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley. Perhaps the most mountain-like of
the Diamond Creek wines in terms of its sturdy, tannin-toughened structure, this sinewy young offering is in no way wanting for rich
Cabernet fruit, and its effusively oaked, cassis and black-earth aromas find parallels in the rich curranty themes that presently lurk beneath a blanket of youthful astringency in the mouth. A ten-year wait would seem a reasonable minimum here, and the chances are that his one will continue to evolve for a good deal longer.

91 DIAMOND CREEK Gravelly Meadow 2000
Diamond Mountain. Sporting both the same sturdy spine and con­centrated fruit that characterize its two siblings, the Gravelly Meadow bottling smells of currants, creme brulee and earth, and its compact, but deeply filled flavors emphasize Cabernet's loamy and somewhat minerally side while keeping ample fruit well within sight. Patience again is required here, and both its price and need for age make it a wine recommended for serious collectors of the varietal.