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Sterling Vineyards

2021 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Regular price $110
Unit price
per 
 / 750 mL
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Tasting Notes

This Cabernet Sauvignon is a very special, single-source wine, made only because Diamond Mountain fruit from the 2021 harvest was so truly exceptional. A dark ruby hue, this wine sings with aromas of violets and dark chocolate in concert with red fruit notes of raspberry, currant, and cherry preserves. Accents of white pepper and fennel hum on the palate. The impression is bright and fresh, with a beautiful, silky texture and supple body that flexes and extends through the finish, displaying muscular mountain fruit tannins with lush, mouthwatering acidity. For full effect, decant this age-worthy wine one hour prior to tasting.

Technical information

Vintage 2021
Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation Diamond Mountain District, Napa Valley
Blend 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak treatment Aged 18 months French, American, & Hungarian oak (59% new)
Volume 750 mL

Winemaking

Grapes were hand-harvested to select only the highest quality fruit for fermentation in stainless vessels. Fruit fermented for up to 15 days, with regular pump-overs to extract deep color and rich flavors. The wine was then gently pressed, racked and aged in individual lots for 18 months in 76% French oak, 12% American oak, and 12% Hungarian oak, 59% new. Promising vineyard blocks are tasted frequently before the final selection of only the most compelling candidate lots and individual barrels.

Vintage

The 2021 growing season began with abundant sunshine, leading to exceptionally high-quality fruit. After early winter rains, a lack of precipitation throughout the rest of the season created an ideal vineyard environment. Budbreak occurred in April, followed by flowering and bloom in May. The summer saw early and even ripening throughout the valley, and harvest took place under clear skies from September to October, with some early rain. Due in part to drought conditions, harvest yields were low, and grapes were intensely flavored and smaller in berry size. From these optimally ripe grapes our winemakers crafted lush, balanced wines with vibrant colors, intense aromas, and fantastic fruit character.

Vineyard

This vintage is principally sourced from Diamond Mountain Ranch and Petersen Ranch, both in the Mayacamas Mountain range west of Napa Valley, above the winery home in Calistoga. Vines grown on these steep volcanic hillsides produce deeply concentrated fruit in small bunches of little berries. Diamond Mountain slopes from 800 to 1,700 feet above sea level, and the vineyards are often above the fog line, receiving ample sunshine at cooler temperatures than the valley floor/