WTN: 1986 Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill

WTN: 1986 Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
This wine was bought at a Christie's auction in Amsterdam, mainly because I was curious about tasting mature Californian wines, and it made me quite surprised.

Colour is rather deep, still mainly red.
Nose is fresh and surprisingly fruity, with black currants, plums and cherries and some mint, plus a touch of mature aromas of old wood and meat.
The taste is fruity with a refreshing acidity. The tannins are rounded off but grow a bit dryish in the aftertaste. Still a fruit driven wine. Not too concentrated but definitely elegant and stylish, far from the modern concentrated fruit bombs (spoofulated, as Otto would describe them). A look at the label surpised me even more. This wine weighs in at a modest 12.5% alcohol! Amazing, and it makes me wonder if the modern wines, that more often are closer to 15% alcohol, really can be this good after 20 year. What is your opinion and experience on this matter?

Furthermore, I'd appreciate any information about how this producer is regarded and also about the vintage 1986. I also purchased a bottle of the 1987. Do you think I can expect something different from the 1986 in that bottle?

Cheers, Anders

He's a cult producer known for long aging wines and mountain intensity. Current releases retail over $150 in most stores.

This wine weighs in at a modest 12.5% alcohol! Amazing, and it makes me wonder if the modern wines, that more often are closer to 15% alcohol, really can be this good after 20 year. What is your opinion and experience on this matter?

This is a matter of much debate right now. My own guess is that many of the modern, alcoholic wines will be terribly imbalanced in later life and not much fun to drink.

Furthermore, I'd appreciate any information about how this producer is regarded and also about the vintage 1986. I also purchased a bottle of the 1987. Do you think I can expect something different from the 1986 in that bottle?

As has already been noted, Diamond Creek was one of the earliest "cult" CalCabs. It was started by an idiosyncratic owner, the late Al Brounstein, who set out to make terroir-driven wines by focusing on three hillside vineyards, each with its own particular soil (Volcanic Hill, Red Rock Terrace and Gravelly Meadow). The wines were/are fascinating expressions of the grape and sold for very high price, even back in the '70s. Many of those early DC wines have shown their ability to age well, so your experience is no surprise. They seemed to lose their way a bit in the '90s, even before the death of Mr. Brounstein, but they were making great wines in the '80s. The '87 will likely be more youthful and primary, and perhaps a bit more intense. '87 is regarded by many as the best year of the decade for Cabernet, but '86 isn't at all a bad year, either.

Mark Lipton

Thanks for your information Brian and Mark! You might be interested that I paid around USD 90 per bottle for these wines. I shared a lot with a friend and got 2 bottles of the '86 and one '87. My friend also got an '85.
Cheers, Anders

I've met Boots Brounstein at a California Barrel Sampling in Washington, DC. but don't know her nearly as well as a friend who knew Al and Boots from the early years. Even he stopped buying when the prices went over $100 per bottle but he had verticals of all three vineyards in his cellar and is probably still tapping into some from the 80's or early 90's.

Just as another data point, I had an '86 Jordan Cabernet last night that was listed as 12.8% alcohol and which was lovely.

Mike