Lot 97 2024 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
WINE FUTURE BOTTLING OCTOBER 2026 Lot 97 2024 Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon is from the same producer as Lot 24. Not only that, it is better wine. Or, at least, it is now. I have to say, I thought Lot 24 was pretty spectacular but, damn, Lot 97 is absolutely mind-blowing. However, I think that is largely a function of the vintage. The 2023 vintage Lot 24 is more tightly wound with incredible structure and, quite frankly, it's infanticide to drink now. While Lot 97 is simply fantastic already. Ripe, gorgeous, effusive, delicious. If I had to guess which wine would be drinking better over the next decade, hands down Lot 97. And that is not because it is the wine I have to sell now, it's simply the truth. Lot 97 will go another 15-20-years for sure, but somewhere around year eight or nine, things will begin to tip in the favor of Lot 24. In the meantime, you simply cannot beat the 2024 vintage for bold, vibrant, generous, juicy, lush Napa Cabernet's. And, things get really interesting with a wee bit of elevation... Of course, Lot 97 is an unbelievable deal at $299/case. With only 225 cases to go around, this is going to go quickly. Opaque, squid ink core with just a kiss of magenta around the rim. However, the bouquet is gorgeously ripe and expressive, redolent with violets, blackcurrant, cherry, iron and gravel underpinned with blueberry, creme de cassis and smoked graphite all haloed with the holy trinity of very fine new French oak, cedar, leather and tobacco. The entry is more gravel fist in a velvet glove with ripe cherry, licorice, blackberry cobbler and leather in the mid-palate riding fabulous gravel and tobacco-laced, fine-grained tannins into a ripe, succulent glorious sunset of a finish. Bright, generous, focused and pure throughout, this is power, precision, muscle and grace all-in-one. Visually, aromatically, organoleptically stunning wine...sexy and perfectly proportioned, hedonistic-yet-sinewy, lush and immensely pleasurable. YUM. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc (blend as received) 100% Diamond Mountain ~70% new French oak 14.9% alc. ~225 cases available