Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (75cl, 14.5%)

A single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet blend from Diamond Creek Vineyards, produced from iron-rich soils on Diamond Mountain and bottled at 14.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. The Red Rock Terrace vineyard spans seven acres of steep, north-facing slopes of red-tinted clay soil with significant iron deposits. For the 2018 vintage, hand-sorted berries underwent a four-to-five-day cold soak, seven to nine days of fermentation, then 21 months in 100% new French oak barriques. The blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4.5% Malbec and 4.5% Petit Verdot. The nose opens with cassis and plum preserves, then cedar chest and pencil lead, with black truffle, damp soil and unsmoked cigar leaf. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with concentrated blackberry and dark cherry, crushed stone minerality, black currant, dried herb and mint, supported by plush, velvety tannins. The finish is long and fragrant, with damp soil, violets and a persistent mineral undertone.