Diamond Creek Wine, Napa Valley: 10 Iconic Bottles, Flavors, Prices

Diamond Creek is a pioneering Napa Valley winery that exclusively produces Cabernet Sauvignon wines.  

The wine estate is situated in the secluded Diamond Mountain area of the California wine region, which provides the perfect conditions for growing this grape. 

In this article, we’ll discover ten spectacular Diamond Creek wine bottles to buy in 2023, their investment potential, food pairing tips, and the estate’s vineyards and rich history.

10 Spectacular Diamond Creek Bottles To Buy In 2023

Here are some of the most prized Diamond Creek wines to add to your collection: 

1. 1986 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon ($525)
2. 2016 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($272)
3. 1992 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,014)
4. 2018 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon ($302)
5. 1974 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($287)
6. 2018 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon ($303)
7. 1999 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($495)
8. 1975 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon ($824)
9. 2007 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($244)
10. 2009 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon ($272)

1. 1986 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon ($525)

This Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases refined depth and richness with a soft tannin structure on the palate, followed by a long-lasting finish. This California red wine is rated 96 points by the Wine Spectator.

2. 2016 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($272)

This wine opens up with dominant dark chocolate and cinnamon aromas. The palate has polished tannins and a mouthwatering ripe fruit flavor, with hints of cassis and blackberry notes. 

3. 1992 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,014)

The aromatic nose of this wine brims with plum, dried cherry, leather, and cedar notes. Its super silky tannins complement the ripe fruit flavor perfectly.

4. 2018 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon ($30)

This wine has dominant cassis, currants, and plum aromas. The palate exhibits a dominant blackberry tasting note complemented by loads of savory layers.  

5. 1974 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($287)

This wine has a full-bodied palate with tasting notes of cedar, licorice, and black cherry fruit, followed by a minute-long flavorful finish. This wine is rated 94 points by Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate. 

6. 2018 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon ($303)

This Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is well-structured and can easily age for 20 years or more. The palate exhibits exuberant flavors of ripe black cherries and cassis with a hint of cinnamon. The Wine Advocate rated this wine 97 points.

7. 1999 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($495)

This wine takes a few hours of decanting to open its earthy aromas. It has a dominant cherry flavor with hints of tar and tobacco that gradually develop into a long, complex finish. 

8. 1975 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon ($824)

This aromatic red wine was rated 96 points by the Wine Spectator. The palate exhibits a chewy tannin texture with dominant tasting notes of cedar and wood. 

9. 2007 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($244)

This wine opens with ripe black cherries and chocolate aromas. It has a velvety texture with dominant blueberry, cassis, and oak flavors on the palate.   

10. 2009 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon ($272)

This 2009 Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon wine exhibits depth and power with ripe currants, blueberry, and cassis flavors. The drinking window is between 2024 to 2049.   

Investing In Diamond Creek Wines

Most bottles of Diamond Creek wine can age in the cellar for 7 to 10 years.  

However, a few exceptional vintages can be aged 20 to 40 years. 

The prices of some of these exquisite Diamond Creek vintage wines have been appreciating steadily over time. For example: 

• The 1979 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon jumped from $294 in 2020 to $791 in 2021, a 169% increase. 
• The 1992 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon price rose from $581 in 2020 to $1,014 in 2022, a 42% increase. 

Diamond Creek’s single vineyard wine also fetches great prices at several auction events. At a Sotheby’s auction in 2021:

• Six bottles of the 2013 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon sold for $1,269.
• Six bottles of the 2013 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon sold for $1,861.

If you’re looking to invest in fine wines such as Diamond Creek, check out Vinovest. 

Vinovest is a leading wine investment company that helps you buy, store and sell the finest wines from across the world with just a few clicks. 

Diamond Creek Wine: Serving And Food Pairing Tips

Serve your Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon red wine at 15.5 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit).

If you have a younger vintage at hand, decant it for 1 to 3 hours before serving. 

Diamond Creek wine is best paired with classic meat dishes such as:

• Ribs
• Hamburgers 
• Roast, Barbecue or Grilled Chicken
• Braised Pork

This wine also pairs well with Asian dishes and sumptuous seafood dishes, including Tuna and Salmon.

Now, let’s look at the terroir and history of this winery as well.

The 4 Unique Vineyards And Terroir Of Diamond Creek 

Let’s take a look at the four distinct Diamond Creek vineyard parcels and their terroir:

• Gravelly Meadow: This 5-acre parcel is situated in the Diamond Mountain District of Napa Valley at an elevation of 550 ft. 

It has rocky and porous soil and a slightly cooler microclimate. 

• Red Rock Terrace: Red Rock Terrace has a highly oxidized red, rocky soil and a warm microclimate. 

This 7-acre site faces the north side of Diamond Mountain, receives less direct sunlight, and is usually the second vineyard to be harvested.

• Volcanic Hill: This 8-acre vineyard consists of volcanic ash deposited from the Mt. Konocti eruption eight million years ago. 

This site faces south and has the warmest microclimate in the Diamond Mountain District.

It often produces the estate's most powerful and age-worthy wines. 

• Diamond Creek Lake: The Lake vineyard land is located on the western edge of the Diamond Mountain and gets plenty of breeze coming through the Mayacamas Canyon. 

It is the smallest Diamond Creek vineyard (approximately 3-acres), and it has a cool microclimate and loose, gravelly soil. 

A Brief History Of the Diamond Creek Winery

The founders of Diamond Creek, Al Brounstein and his wife, Boots Brounstein planted their first Diamond Creek vineyard in 1968.  

Four years later, Diamond Creek launched its first vintage. 

After Al Brounstein and his wife passed away, their stepson Phil Ross sold the estate to Maison Louis Roederer (in March 2020.) 

The Louis Roederer Group is a family-owned business spearheaded by Frédéric Rouzaud, who owns many wine estates, including Merry Edwards, Domaine Anderson, Roederer Estate, and Scharffenberger Cellars. 

In October 2020, Frédéric Rouzaud appointed Nicole Carter as president of Diamond Creek Wine and Graham Wehmeier as the head winemaker.  

Diamond Creek Wine: One Of The Finest Napa Cabernet Sauvignons!

Diamond Creek wine's sensational complexity and graceful flavors make for a great celebratory splurge. These age-worthy wines are also a great long-term investment choice.  

So, hop on to Vinovest, and start creating a successful wine portfolio right away.