Base neck fill, good cork. Decanted off sediment, then served. This is t past prime, fully resolved, soft cedary red fruit, getting short. Still drinkable but on the downslope.
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Flickinger Warehouse Tasting (Chicago, IL): The closest wine to my ideal Napa cabernet on the table today. Yes, it's quite herbaceous and not too ripe, but I think that the extra acidity from that gives this wine freshness, especially once you factor in the age. This doesn't seem to be on a fast decline, but I'd certainly be inclined to drink these up sooner rather than later. It's not typically a good thing to be left with acidic husks.
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Diamond Creek Rare Wine Dinner (Charlie Palmer Steak): Developed and tertiary nose with some spices, medicinal, and big crushed rocky minerality. Fully tertiary on the palate and shouldn’t be left any longer. Good eucalyptus but overall rather thin and on the decline.
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i bought the futures so I got all three. down to one bottle of Gravely Meadow. had the Red Rock Terrace last night. It was wonderful/perfect--for what it was. Went great with charcoal grilled lamb chops, creamed spinich and a mix of acorn squash/wild rice, with a touch of shallots/garlic for zip.
I think the '85 vintage turned out to be less than hoped for when Parker first wrote positively about it. The body was not quite 'medium', but it was right on the button for nose, flavor and finish.
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I don't know what others have been drinking but I have had this in my cellar for 2 and a half decades and I am shocked how crisp, clear and young the wine looks. It is medium to dark ruby with no bricking at all. It looks very youthful. The nose is light at first after decanting but evolves amazingly over 3-5 hours. It proves once again how important breathing Diamond Creek wines is. If you try to drink it right after opening you will almost always be disappointed. The nose has lots of complexity with cedar, lavender, clove, plum, sour cherry and earthy mushroom. The mouthfeel is light yet still a bit grippy with remaining tannin. The flavors reflect the nose with the addition of pleasant menthol in the mid palate and some vanilla on the finish. It is complex and layered with an aftertaste that goes on and on. This is the kind of wine from Cali that I love, reminiscent of Bordeaux but with a richness that is characteristic of the warmer climes of CA. It's a shame so few continue to make wine like this. My one remaining bottle will clearly be good into its fourth decade I think.
Bought at auction, medium brick red color at the edge with a light red core. Tertiary nose of forrest floor, wood, and grasses. Very light flavors along the same line, no fruit to speak of. That said, it was not cracking up, and did improve a bit with air.
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Holiday Tasting Event (Columbus, OH): Surprisingly green, bell pepper nose with just hints of underlying fruit character. Big tannins will long outlast the under-ripe, hollow fruit that this wine shows. Drinkable, but not impressive. **-/5
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TOOK ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO BLOW OFF MUSTY NOSE. LIGHTER THAN MOST DIAMOND CREEKS BUT NICE BLACKBERRY AND BLACK CHERRY FLAVOR AND NOSE W/ TOUCH OF TOBACCO. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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3/15/2024 - coremill wrote: 86 Points
Base neck fill, good cork. Decanted off sediment, then served. This is t past prime, fully resolved, soft cedary red fruit, getting short. Still drinkable but on the downslope.
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12/18/2022 - Margaux Bro wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely delicious and if you can believe it, even better on day 2. Such a resilient wine. Don’t be afraid to introduce air or decant for sediment.
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9/10/2016 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Flickinger Warehouse Tasting (Chicago, IL): The closest wine to my ideal Napa cabernet on the table today. Yes, it's quite herbaceous and not too ripe, but I think that the extra acidity from that gives this wine freshness, especially once you factor in the age. This doesn't seem to be on a fast decline, but I'd certainly be inclined to drink these up sooner rather than later. It's not typically a good thing to be left with acidic husks.
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5/4/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 89 Points
Diamond Creek Rare Wine Dinner (Charlie Palmer Steak): Developed and tertiary nose with some spices, medicinal, and big crushed rocky minerality. Fully tertiary on the palate and shouldn’t be left any longer. Good eucalyptus but overall rather thin and on the decline.
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12/2/2014 - redspinelpinktopaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
i bought the futures so I got all three. down to one bottle of Gravely Meadow. had the Red Rock Terrace last night. It was wonderful/perfect--for what it was. Went great with charcoal grilled lamb chops, creamed spinich and a mix of acorn squash/wild rice, with a touch of shallots/garlic for zip.
I think the '85 vintage turned out to be less than hoped for when Parker first wrote positively about it. The body was not quite 'medium', but it was right on the button for nose, flavor and finish.
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7/19/2014 - oldwines Likes this wine: 96 Points
I don't know what others have been drinking but I have had this in my cellar for 2 and a half decades and I am shocked how crisp, clear and young the wine looks. It is medium to dark ruby with no bricking at all. It looks very youthful. The nose is light at first after decanting but evolves amazingly over 3-5 hours. It proves once again how important breathing Diamond Creek wines is. If you try to drink it right after opening you will almost always be disappointed. The nose has lots of complexity with cedar, lavender, clove, plum, sour cherry and earthy mushroom. The mouthfeel is light yet still a bit grippy with remaining tannin. The flavors reflect the nose with the addition of pleasant menthol in the mid palate and some vanilla on the finish. It is complex and layered with an aftertaste that goes on and on. This is the kind of wine from Cali that I love, reminiscent of Bordeaux but with a richness that is characteristic of the warmer climes of CA. It's a shame so few continue to make wine like this. My one remaining bottle will clearly be good into its fourth decade I think.
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6/4/2014 - fournet wrote:
Still very tight
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2/5/2012 - Thirsty1 wrote:
Good- but over the hill. Little fruit to speak of - more dried wood and little boquet. Not unbalanced just not much happening.
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4/19/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 80 Points
Bought at auction, medium brick red color at the edge with a light red core. Tertiary nose of forrest floor, wood, and grasses. Very light flavors along the same line, no fruit to speak of. That said, it was not cracking up, and did improve a bit with air.
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12/11/2005 - psmith wrote:
Holiday Tasting Event (Columbus, OH): Surprisingly green, bell pepper nose with just hints of underlying fruit character. Big tannins will long outlast the under-ripe, hollow fruit that this wine shows. Drinkable, but not impressive. **-/5
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5/31/2003 - buckeye76 wrote: 88 Points
TOOK ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO BLOW OFF MUSTY NOSE. LIGHTER THAN MOST DIAMOND CREEKS BUT NICE BLACKBERRY AND BLACK CHERRY FLAVOR AND NOSE W/ TOUCH OF TOBACCO. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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