2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace
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Tasting notes
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace is lighter in body than the Gravelly Meadow. It is perhaps a bit more aromatically expressive than that wine, but less deep and complex. Today, the Red Rock Terrace is hard to get a read on as the tannins are massive. Still, there is a lot going on in the glass. Iron, tar, licorice, dark red fruit and deep veins of minerality propel the tense, powerful finish. This is going to be a fascinating wine to follow.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace is lighter in body than the Gravelly Meadow. It is perhaps a bit more aromatically expressive than that wine, but less deep and complex. Today, the Red Rock Terrace is hard to get a read on as the tannins are massive. Still, there is a lot going on in the glass. Iron, tar, licorice, dark red fruit and deep veins of minerality propel the tense, powerful finish. This is going to be a fascinating wine to follow. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2048. Diamond Creek is one of Napa Valley’s historic estates, as anyone who has been fortunate enough to drink the wines from the 1970s can attest. These are some of the most powerful, unapologetically structured wines being made in Napa Valley today. As such, they require considerable patience. Today’s wines are a little more approachable when young than in the past – the result of picking a little riper than was once the custom – but I think it is safe to say that readers who are unfamiliar with this style might be shocked by the sheer tannic heft in these wines when first released. Overall, I found a little more finesse in the 2009s than in the 2008s, but these still remain Cabernets that need significant cellaring. Tel. (707) 942-6926; info@diamondcreekvineyards.com
Dark crimson. Warm, sun-baked stone on the nose. Luscious fully ripe fruit but the overall effect is not sweetness. Very sucky stoney and great verve. (JR)
About the producer
Diamond Creek, Napa’s first single-vineyard Cabernet estate, has defined terroir-driven winemaking since 1968. Founded by Al and Boots Brounstein, the winery pioneered site-specific Cabernet, producing age-worthy wines from Gravelly Meadow, Red Rock Terrace and Volcanic Hill.