From the legendary Diamond Creek Vineyards in California’s Napa Valley, the 2019 Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon comes from one of the estate’s coolest and most distinctive sites. Planted in 1968 on the pebbly, porous soils of a prehistoric riverbed, this five-acre vineyard drains rapidly, naturally restricting yields and producing wines with remarkable concentration and finesse. The 2019 opens with cassis, blackberry and blueberry, complemented by lavender, rosemary, liquorice and freshly turned earth. On the palate, it is rich and densely textured, yet remarkably poised, with fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity carrying the wine through a long, mineral-inflected finish. There is a lovely interplay between ripe Napa fruit and savoury, earthy complexity, giving the wine both immediate appeal and considerable ageing potential. A beautifully precise expression of single-vineyard Napa Cabernet, and a compelling illustration of Diamond Creek’s philosophy of letting each site speak for itself.