Community Tasting Notes 14

• ElAzul Likes this wine: 92 points

  May 10, 2020 - This is from a mixed 6 pack of red rock terrace, gravelly meadow and volcanic hill. Wine is fully mature but only a hint of bricking evident. My experience is similar to that posted by oldwines recently. Cedar nose and starts out kind of rough but within a couple of hours the wine came around. The fruit is reticent plum with a touch of eucalyptus. Tannins are completely resolved with air after 4 hours open. Wine peaking at 6-8 hours open. Very elegant at this point and there is a wonderful emergence of tart red cherries on the finish which lasts 15-20 seconds. I had some of the other diamond creek wines a while back but this was just fine after 32 years. Well done!

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• oldwines Likes this wine: 92 points

  November 2, 2019 - I was spurred to try all my 1987 Diamond Creek’s after reading some horrible reviews by both CT users and some “pro’s” including John Gilman of “View From the Cellar” and Steven Tanzer of “Vinous”. Gilman, in particular, I often agree with, so I was quite concerned since I had not tried one of these in many years. They have been in my cellar since release. I decanted all three vineyard cru’s...Gravelly Meadow, Red Rock Terrace and Volcanic Hill at 2:45 pm and tasted them repeatedly and with dinner over the next 8 hours as well as the next day. At first after decanting the wine was medium to dark garnet with a lightly bricked edge as I would have expected at 32 years of age. The nose was cedar and “green” and on the palate it was quite tannic and hard. I feared everyone was right, though after many years of drinking Diamond Creek’s I knew they need A LOT of air to show at their best. If I had only tasted at this point I too would have given a very bad review...BUT it appears to me these ”pro’s“ who should know better didn’t give the wine any air. By the 2-3 hour point and beyond this had gone through a metamorphosis and was now darker, brighter with no brick edge, the nose was full of lots of game meat, the palate still had some green pepper but added black pepper, plum, eucalyptus and tart cherry. The finish was now medium long and elegant and a great pairing with the braised short ribs I made. It was best with dinner which we had around 8pm. By the next day it had faded and closed down becoming tart and unpleasant to drink. Consistent with my history with these wines the Gravelly Meadow was my second favorite Cru after the Volcanic Hill. I don’t know if these will get any better but with proper breathing (3-8 hours in my experience) this will be good for another few years at least.

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• sunnylea57 Does not like this wine: 85 points

  August 23, 2016 - I had expected good things from this, but it was weirdly disjointed - like someone had blended together 2 or 3 different wines. I had visions of Rudy dancing in my head.

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• eluebchow wrote: 93 points

  November 26, 2015 - From magnum; A very old-school and classically styled Cabernet that is in a great spot right now; The nose brings notes of bell pepper, herbs and mint, while the fruit on the palate is very elegant, with some tannic backbone still peeking its way through; This clearly has years to go, although is certainly firing on all cylinders right now

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• Vstalam Likes this wine: 93 points

  January 16, 2015 - I didn't know Napa Cabernet could taste like this, very Bordeaux-like. For me the dominant flavors were green pepper, a graphite minerality, anda hint of tobacco. The fruit was secondary/faded and didn't hit until almost the end of a sip. Not sure if it will improve with more time, but seems to be able to stay alive for the foreseeable future.

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Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 1987
• Type Red
• Producer Diamond Creek
• Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard Gravelly Meadow
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Napa Valley
• Appellation Diamond Mountain

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 1 (1%)
• In Cellars 71 (54%)
• Consumed 60 (45%)

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