The star of my visit to Diamond Creek was the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill, which shows awesome purity and length. Vanilla accents blackberry, cassis and plum notes on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and velvety, leading into a tremendously long finish, bursting with classic Cabernet fruit. It could use a few years in the cellar to gain nuance, and it should drink well for two decades or more after that.

Fresh and zesty in feel, with a racy-edged set of raspberry, red currant and bitter plum coulis flavors inlaid with violet and singed alder and apple wood accents. A long iron tang runs underneath on the finish, adding length and cut. Best from 2024 through 2040. 556 cases made.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill is the most opulent of these wines. A blast of dark cherry, chocolate, licorice, spice and leather races across the palate. There's more overt fruit, a heavier oak imprint than in the other wines and a greater perception of alcohol as well, which I suppose is not that surprising given that oak extracts alcohol. The 2019 is very much a wine of the last phase of Diamond Creek prior to the change of ownership that took place in 2020.