Diamond Creek Expressions Of Terroir Dinner

Part of the Mayacamas mountain range, Diamond Mountain did not officially become an AVA until 2001. The Mountain Vineyards of Diamond Creek are rightly considered the best of not only the appellation itself, but of Napa Valley in general. The vineyards are located at altitudes from 600 feet to as high as 1700 feet. The large changes in altitude as well as the soil variation, which include volcanic, gravel and red rock, result in very distinct terroir-driven wines perfectly captured in the winemaking. Diamond Creek’s founder Al Brounstein set out to produce these singular wines that would express the special qualities of the different terroirs of Diamond Mountain. These are powerful Cabernet Sauvignon based wines, distinctly Diamond Mountain in character, yet with subtle differences of fruit, minerality, spice and in the case of Volcanic Hill, lavender notes.

During the seventies, under the stewardship of Brounstein, Diamond Creek produced what are considered to be its finest wines. From the center of the property, you can see all the vineyards: Volcanic Hill (8 acres), Red Rock Terrace (7 acres), Gravelly Meadow (5 acres), and the rare Lake vineyard, which is only 0.75 acres. The vines are 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc with sometimes a touch of Petit Verdot. Red Rock Terrace is on a north facing steep slope. This is the most forward and elegant of the wines. Volcanic Hill is south facing and has volcanic ash in the soil. These wines are powerful and vigorous. Gravelly Meadow faces east on rocky soil, and these are the most concentrated and long-lived of the wines. The Lake vineyard has more gravel and a cooler microclimate and only ripens in certain vintages, so it is usually blended into Gravelly Meadow. Winemaking is traditional and focused on expressing terroir.

Wines include: 

• Diamond Creek, Lake Vineyard 1987 
• Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow 1974 
• Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow 1975 
• Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow 1976 
• Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow 1977 
• Diamond Creek, Gravelly Meadow 1979 
• Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace 1973 
• Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace 1975 
• Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace 1976 
• Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace 1977 
• Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace 1978 
• Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace 1979 
• Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill 1973 
• Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill 1974 
• iamond Creek, Volcanic Hill 1975 
• Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill 1977 
• Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill 1978