Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill, Napa Valley 2019 - 75cl
Diamond Creek is Napa royalty. Founded by Al Brounstein in 1968, it was the first Cabernet-only estate in the valley and the first to bottle single vineyards separately, decades before the phrase became fashionable. Volcanic Hill is one of three famous parcels on Diamond Mountain, and its name is literal: eight acres of pale volcanic ash and tuff on a south-facing slope, the warmest of the estate's sites and always the first to ripen.
That volcanic soil, poor and free-draining, is the whole story. It forces the vines to struggle, and struggle here means concentration, structure and a mineral, dusty-graphite signature that sets Volcanic Hill apart from its cooler sibling, Red Rock Terrace. The 2019 vintage was a benchmark year in Napa, cool and even, giving fruit of real depth without a hint of heaviness. This is Cabernet Sauvignon with a small measure of Petit Verdot, made to age for decades.
Young, it opens with cassis, blackberry and blueberry laced with graphite, mocha, warm spice and that telltale dusty gravel. The palate is full, deep and velvety, the tannins firm and finely drawn, the finish enormous. It is built for the long haul; give it five to ten years and it will reward you for twenty more. This is a collector's Cabernet and a piece of Napa history in a glass. Buy it, cellar it, and be patient.
How to Serve
Serve at 16-18°C in a large Bordeaux glass. A young 2019 benefits from a 60-90 minute decant; for a mature bottle, decant gently just before serving to preserve its perfume.
Where to Drink It
Scott's in Mayfair, for a landmark Napa Cabernet with a dry-aged steak. Wiltons on Jermyn Street, whose old-school grandeur suits it. The River Cafe for a special-occasion bottle among friends.
Food Pairings
This calls for a properly aged rib of beef, the tannins and fat meeting as equals. With more age, it is glorious with roast venison and a blackberry jus.
