Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow, Napa Valley

Bottle had been well-stored in a wine fridge but compressor had died at some point, and I'm unclear if it was not climate controlled for a matter of days, weeks, months or years. Regardless it survived beautifully. Excellent fill level, soft cork but extracted cleanly, and very little sediment. Great dark red color. Was tasted back-to-back with the Volcanic Hill from 1994 (sourced from same collection) and this one was the winner. Better nose and stronger flavors.

1994 vintage

Intense aromas of dried roses, raw meat, wet rocky soil, saddle soap, cigar humidor, old leather, and sawn old cedar. On the palate, a swirling m�lange of subtle subdued fruit, burnt sugar, grilled pineapple, madeira, Jolly Roger cherry candy, ripe blueberry, and sweet whiskey wood. VERY savory and tart due to overall drop in fruit esters owing to its age. Almost everything about this wine--when taken individually--is wrong, but the end result of all these disparate elements combined is stunning. …

1983 vintage

Deep purple colour. Big nose, smoky, vanilla, oak and dark fruit. In mouth blackberry, plum, cassis vanilla, oak, leather, chocolate, earthy, licorice, smoke

2013 vintage

Wow. During a night of fine wines, this stood apart from the crowd, in the very best of ways. Served double-blind, I guessed 1985 Napa Cab; lucky squirrel meet nut. So much elegance, with structure remaining to see this through another 10 or more years if your cellar is nice and cold. Stunning aromatics akin to the best aged left-bank wines. Floats in rarified are for good reason. Fully mature to my palate, and within the limits of its apogee. …

1983 vintage

Deep purple, extremely high tannins but more refined and muscular. Wraps around the tongue and cheek. Scent of vanilla and rich in fruits. Didn't decant - probably best to hold and revisit.

2013 vintage

Second place in a vertical with all of the 98’s except Lake. This had the structure of the volcanic hill but fruit of the red rock. A great mix of the next qualities of the other two.

1998 vintage

Takes about 3 hours for the funk to blow off. The nose and palate become fresh with red fruit and a pronounced floral note really enjoyed this 37 year old. Old school cab glad I have 3 more in the cellar. Time open is key to enjoying old diamond creeks

1983 vintage

rich and powerful but brutally young. very long. Hold please.

2013 vintage

A real pleasant surprise. All you would have hoped for in an aged Cali Cab... very Bordeaux like

1998 vintage

Deep dark garnet in color with ever so slight clearing at the edges. Full, fragrant & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blueberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty notes, some floral notes of violets, leather, tobacco, chocolate, spices, herbs, some mint & a hint of cedar in the background. Full bodied, with a very good concentration of well balanced & silky smooth textured, plush, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blueberries & plums with spices, herbs, cocoa & …

1994 vintage

Brilliant color with very limited signs of age. And nice but subtle dark cherry nose. But a bit one dimensional. Think I�ve had better bottles. (Followed an excellent 97 Togni so maybe tough compare tonight.) But nice enough palate, decent acidity. Dark berry dominates. Just a little short on the finish, and �okay�. Looking at my past notes, I just think this has past its peak

1994 vintage

Opened with dinner. Poured a 2009 Sauzet La Garenne and the Diamond Creek before sitting down. The Diamond Creek opened beautifully with some gradual improvement over the meal. My last one at a perfect time.

1983 vintage

On a downhill slide, but still very enjoyable. Based on this bottle, would drink sooner rather than later. Pop and pour, drank over 90 minutes.

1998 vintage

Part of our No Wine Under 25 (Yr.) tasting. Poured to dark color, but absolutely undrinkable.

1983 vintage

Chicago Wine Flock...Bill Having Fun with Flights (Wilmette, IL) : Tasted double blind. Black cherry, plum aromas and flavors with very good balance. Nicely elegant. Moderate weight and length. I thought it from Bordeaux.

1998 vintage

Like an old Rioja, this wine needs at least 3 hours of air before drinking. I opened and decanted the bottle at 9 and tasted it each hour before a 12 30 lunch. Tight and astringent until about noon when it began to blossom. Deep texture and color, with plenty of fruit. Will carry on for a decade, but properly decanted it is a current delight.

1994 vintage

Beautiful and lithe. Elegant nose captures the best of 1998 and proves that people who knew to pick before the rains came made great wines

1998 vintage

All pencil lead and subdued dark fruits. Medium bodied, very easy to drink. Herbal, green tones. Mature. A bit of raw tannin left, but very nice.

1998 vintage

Jammy cassis, dried herbs, and cedar on the dark, brooding nose. Red and black currants, with chocolate and spice, rich and jammy, on the palate. Like many of Napa's 2013s, I suspect the Gravelly Meadow will age at a snail's pace, particularly if you enjoy these wines for their nuance and complexity. Drink starting 2024.

2013 vintage

Truffle, herbs, and dark fruits open up the wine with coaxing. The wine is tight and holding back, so some effort is needed to wake it. Deep, long, full bodied, and with loads of dark chocolate covered fruits on the palate paired with freshness in the finish. Stylistically, the wine is slightly austere, but with great character, depth and mouth feel. You’ll need to be patient with this one. But it is going to be worth the wait. And I …

2013 vintage

Big oak - wonderful vanilla on the nose Tannins tannins and great tannins Needs to age but wow Slight jammy ending that was not expected Decanted for 3 hours is just an explosion The jammy is more present with decanting- great structure- going to age extremely well

2013 vintage

Diamond Creek Rare Wine Dinner (Charlie Palmer Steak) : Good nose but not quite as expressive as the flight of �97s beforehand. Palate doesn�t totally sync up to the pretty nose here. Tannins still hanging around but mostly integrating nicely.

1994 vintage

Very light in color for a cab. Nose a little musty initially but brought camphor, red fruit and maybe a little iodine. Nice cranberry and dark, tart cherry. Long finish. Love this style, low alcohol (12.5%!), acid, food-friendly. Has a lot of life but drink up.

1994 vintage

Cork marginal when pulled. Worst fears realized, total waste. Poured down sink.

1998 vintage

This is as Bordelais as a Napa wine can be. Still youthfull color, bit funky but predominantly fruity, Saint Julien like elegant nose. Tastes like a Napa Saint Julien. Elegant and Excellent. Drink now.

1998 vintage

"Dégustation de la quille qu'on ne veut pas sortir, à moins que ..." (Restaurant Chez Christophe) : Un vin découvert au tout premier nez, grâce à un indice de Fred que moi seul pouvait saisir. Ce nez mentholé trahit Napa, j'y perçois aussi des arômes de prunes et de fine notes herbacées. De puissance moyenne, il offre une belle bouche veloutée au style bordelais, un peu sucrée, il est à la fois délicieux et fin.Un vin racé que j'aime beaucoup. …

1998 vintage

Firm, structured, still young and tannic, the wine is clearly built to age. With 2 hours of decanting, tobacco, cassis, dark berries and earthy notes emerged. The wine is full bodied, bright and fresh.

1994 vintage

Wow what a voluptuous wine. As I have said many times before this wine NEEDS to breathe at least 4 hours and often is best the next day. Medium ruby with no sign of age on the rim. Nose is vanilla, blackberry, menthol and chocolate. Rich, sexy mouthfeel. Various berries, mint, cedar and chocolate on the palate. Extremely long finish, over a minute. Gorgeous with crispy duck confit leg.

1994 vintage

I love Diamond Creek. Even the so called down years are amazing. Great balance with nice aging. Good earthy undertones. Getting past it's peak though so drink up.

1998 vintage

I may be generous on this. It was just ok. Definitely well on the decline. I decanted for 3 hours and had taken sips in between. It just never had much to speak of. Not bad, not corked. Just close to totally done. We all have our own palates, but have no idea how in last year and much less there are 97 ratings, 95 and anything close. My bad for leaving in the cellar too long. But no way …

1994 vintage

Loved this bottle. Wondering if I'm rating too low. Was beautiful, so ready to drink, tannins melted away, nice and ruby red. Beautiful nose of dark berries that makes you want to dive in. Was full of flavor, not too heavy, has aged beautifully. Probably has peaked but many years left. And food-friendly too. A lost art!! This is from the Ridge Monte Bello school of wine making. I used to think these DC wines were overrated and overpriced. But …

1994 vintage

drinking well now.. great fruit and complexity from a wonderful producer. the '98's are drinking very well right now and i do not see too much upside from here. dkl

1998 vintage

Promised by wine guy this was as Bordeaux as any California Cab would or could ever be. Deep purple to the rim with medium body and lacking real tears yet did cling to glass uniformly. Nose of old world Bordeaux with some funk and mushroom. Very left bank St Julien like. Rich fruit on the palate with sweet cherries. Some well integrated tannins with tobacco, earth and chocolate. Lingering finish of bittersweet chocolate. At its peak but just not over …

1998 vintage

WCC 1994 California Cabernet Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY) : Tart strawberry nose. Muted and dull in the mouth. Some think it's corked, but I think it is just not much.

1994 vintage

Diamond Creek MUST, MUST, MUST be allowed to breathe extensively. While the wine appears medium bodied it will explode over time. I opened this wine at 4pm for dinner at 8...by 9pm it was soft and voluptuous...the nose was subtle with red fruit and juniper berry. It also needs food even a little spice...probably best at the 4-5 hour mark. Vanilla and black raspberry and a hint of tar were most predominant. I kept this wine since release at 56 …

1994 vintage

nice quaff but a little disappointing because I was expecting a real cabernet with dark deep spice and berries. This is a nicely integrated wine of medium body and light intensity, moderate spices.

1994 vintage

Opened last two bottles of these. Unfortunately, not a good showing. Both were a bit musty and most of the fruit was gone. Likely past its prime.

1994 vintage

Past its prime. A thin overtone to the wine paired with earth, rock, and a bit of funk. Left half the bottle in the cellar, hoping for some improvement with air/time.

1998 vintage

Not bad but just not special either. Had a green overly tannic quality that made no sense.

1998 vintage

absolutely outstanding.... best Diamond Creek I have had in years... a total surprise. It had great earth and older bordeaux flavors. The nose was really something special. I am glad I have more... but these need to be drunk Now. I cannot think it is going to get any better.

1998 vintage

8/10 Ample but fading fruit with medium lasting balanced finish. 90 pts.

1994 vintage

Maybe it's just me, but this was by far the best showing this wine has turned in since I acquired it. Perfectly balanced; black cherry and cedar aroma; rich mouthfeel; dark red fruit on the palate; long finish. It was just exquisite; better than three months ago. One of the best wines I've had in some time.

1994 vintage

Impressive showing tonight. It took a bit of time to open in the glass, but this very patient wine is finally well into its prime. It likely has several years left, though. Strong cassis and spice on the nose. Plum, blackberry, and a good deal of earth on the palate. Short to medium finish. A classic cab in all respects; its Napa pedigree is unmistakable.

1994 vintage

one of the best DCs ive ever had. on the nose...earth, dirt, mushroom, eucalyptus, brown sugar. on the palate, red fruit, red fruit, and more red fruit. two hour in the glass decant. perfectly balanced. what else can i say? A+

1998 vintage

Pretty simple and light. Really, this is just a question of a lack of concentration. Too bad because it has a decent flavor profile, but it just seems to disappear with no length on the finish at all.

1994 vintage

After seeing other notes, maybe I gave up on it too quickly, but life's too short. Can do waaay better at this price. Thin, tannic, hot, losing its fruit.

1998 vintage

Bought at auction with CRL and opened, along with many others at a party at my house. Much better than we had any right to hope for a bottle like this . Balanced, solid fruit profile. Improved as the night wore on. Finish was a bit weak but otherwise a great ROI.

1983 vintage

very tannic - but did open up and soften with about two hours rest

1998 vintage

Actually may be better than the Volcanic Hill for 1998. Incredible, balanced cab.

1998 vintage

Lovely ripe cherry and cassis nose; cassis, red fruit palate with herbal edges; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

1983 vintage

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Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow, Napa Valley

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