2005 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow has a sweet, earthy, minerally character, delicate yet impressively intense blue and black fruits, medium body, sweet, sweet tannin, and a harmonious and impressively balanced mouthfeel. This is not blockbuster by any means, but rather an elegant yet authoritatively flavored wine to drink now and over the next 15 or more years. A fine vein of acidity keeps everything well-poised, precise and fresh.||Diamond Creek Vineyards is certainly one of the historic names of Napa Valley and an iconic brand. They were pioneers in creating three single-vineyard wines based on specific terroirs – high on Diamond Mountain with the gravel soils producing the Gravelly Meadow, the volcanic soils of the Red Rock Terrace, and of course, the iron-rich, white Tufa volcanic soils producing the Volcanic Hill. Interestingly enough, Volcanic Hill is the biggest parcel at eight acres, with Red Rock Terrace at seven acres, and Gravelly Meadow only five acres. I believe they were all initially 100% Cabernet Sauvignons, but in 2005 the blends are identical, all consisting of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Moreover, they are all aged in 100% new French oak. Alcohol levels came in consistently at 14.5%, as did the final pH numbers at 3.72. Such numbers are similar to a ripe Bordeaux vintage such as 2009 or 2010, or for that matter 2005. This gives the consumer a good chance to follow three specific terroir-based, single-vineyard wines over the course of evolution and see how they age. Obviously, I was excited to look at them, even though they remain young wines at age ten. I should also note that for my taste, the 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1978 from Diamond Creek are among the most extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines, not only from Napa, but possibly the world. They will forever be embedded in my mind as true legendary efforts.|Diamond Creek Vineyards, Tel. (707) 942-6926 eRobertParker.com.June, 2015