2014 Trig Point Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Dust Vineyard Alexander Valley 750 ml

Blue Skies over Diamond Dust

Growing up in New Zealand, Nick Goldschmidt helped his father build the wooden stations used in land surveying known as “trig points.” Hammering away under clear blue skies, Nick would gain an appreciation for hard work and a deep respect for nature’s elements. Decades later, Nick would draw from this experience in establishing, and naming, his own winery.

After 26 years in Sonoma, with stints at heralded estates including Gary Farrell and Simi, Nick has amassed a staggering amount of knowledge of the region. He knows every vineyard and its history, the current owners, and the owners before them. On our visit last month, Nick took us to what he described as “one of the most unique and celebrated sites in the Alexander Valley.”

After meeting in downtown Healdsburg, Nick drove us 6 miles north to the historic Diamond Dust Vineyard, a captivating site abutting the banks of the Russian River. “This used to be Seghesio’s famed ‘San Lorenzo Vineyard,’” Nick told us. “Simi also made its Cabernet Reserve here.”

The soil here is infertile and nutrient-poor, and the vineyard receives an abundant amount of sun, both qualities resulting in highly concentrated fruit. The microclimate, too, is key to the high sugars and complex flavors which develop in Diamond Dust Cabernet. Mornings are foggy and cool, but afternoons heat up into the mid-90s. During the night, temperatures drop to the mid-40s. The cycle is such that ripening happens slowly and evenly, allowing for both rich fruit and great freshness to be present in the wines.

In 2014, Mother Nature blessed Sonoma County, and the Alexander Valley in particular, with a tremendous vintage that had Nick reminiscing about the blue skies of his youth. The growing season got off to a promising start with warm temperatures through spring into early summer. By July, vineyard managers were slightly concerned that sugar levels were ahead of flavor development, but a cool September delayed ripening, which resulted in tremendously aromatic wines with enriched fruit flavors.

The 2014 Trig Point Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Dust Vineyard Alexander Valley shows all the pedigree of the vintage, with alluring aromas of blackberry, cassis, and freshly picked boysenberry. Hints of talc and chalky notes reminiscent of a dusty Rutherford Bench Cabernet. Dark cherries, espresso beans, and dried fig envelop the mid-palate. The tannins are well integrated throughout the long and clean, dry finish. A solid 100% Cabernet Sauvignon effort from the exceptional 2014 vintage in Sonoma that offers immediate enjoyment and will benefit from a 2- to 4-year stay in the cellar, as well.

For the Cabernet bargain-hunters, today’s Trig Point is not to be missed. Compared to single-vineyard 2014s from south of the Mayacamas in Napa, the price tag on Nick Goldschmidt’s brilliant effort appears almost too reasonable. Our advice? Don’t think too hard. Lock in a case before they’re all gone. Just $19.99/bottle while they last...