Lot 623
2024 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Franc

Well over $125+/bottle under the original label

Lot 623 is a marvelous estate-grown wine crafted by a name that any serious Napa enthusiast is familiar with. The tradeoff for access to this posh realm is a stringent NDA, which has rendered most sourcing details a no-fly zone. No matter – the proof is in the pudding. Crafted in a style that would make “Parker palate”-aligned critics very pleased, the winemaker was clearly gunning for a high-90s score with a sumptuous showcase of the varietal’s natural softness layered over intricate structure only found in high-elevation grapes (a style pioneered in no small part by this winery). This is a marriage of opulence and elegance that shouldn't be missed.

Opening with blue-to-black fruit dipped in plum sauce reduction, a tempting and perfumed nose develops with every passing moment, revealing exotic spices, crushed volcanic rock, fresh-turned earth, and lavender. On entry, a masterfully structured wine awaits with deft and immediate acidity, ushering in blueberries and fresh-sliced plum accented by rocky minerality, wet granite, and uplifted delicate spice. Plentiful, silky, mouth-filling tannins frame the entire experience – this will undoubtedly go the distance. The finish is dry, youthful, and toasty, delivering notes of baking spice, caramelized vanilla bean, crushed violets, and a lingering crushed-stone-meets-dark-fruit resonance of incredible length. Red meat, anyone?