The 2019 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain is a noteworthy example of California's Napa Valley winemaking prowess. This varietal, hailing from the Diamond Mountain sub-appellation, is produced by Lokoya and showcases the distinctive characteristics of the region. The wine is sealed with a cork and has an alcohol content of 14.5%.
James Suckling awarded this wine a score of 96 points, describing it as "a big wine with solid tannins that are layered and powerful, yet there’s underlying, layered fruit between the phenolics." He noted its "suppleness and good length," and advised that it "needs three to four years to open" (jamessuckling.com, April 7, 2023).
Jeb Dunnuck was even more enthusiastic, giving the wine 97 points, and highlighting its "elegant, yet concentrated, structured, and expansive" nature. He praised its "crème de cassis, black raspberries, graphite, scorched earth, and some floral notes" on the nose, and commended the wine for its "terrific purity, building, ripe tannins, bright acidity, and an undeniable sense of minerality on the finish." Dunnuck predicts this wine will be "incredibly long-lived" and recommends five to six years of bottle age (jebdunnuck.com, December 21, 2021).
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also rated the wine 96 points, noting its origins from two parcels with mainly volcanic soils. The review highlighted aromas of "crushed stone, pencil shavings, cassis, and cherries," and described the palate as "full-bodied but not overly ripe or broad, just finely honed, polished, silky, and long, with a dusting of fine-grained tannins on the finish" (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, May 31, 2022).
Wine Spectator gave the wine a score of 95 points, noting its "dark plum, black currant, and blackberry reduction notes carried by a slightly chunky structure, with tar, dark tobacco, and sweet bay leaf supporting the finish." The review suggests it will benefit from cellaring and is best enjoyed between 2024 and 2038 (Wine Spectator, October 31, 2022).
Vinous, in their review, also awarded the wine 96 points, describing it as "a huge, strapping wine packed with inky black fruit, graphite, crushed rocks, menthol, bittersweet chocolate, and espresso." The review emphasized the wine's "potent tannins" and suggested giving them a few years to soften (Vinous, January 1, 2022).
In summary, the 2019 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain is a robust and complex wine that promises to evolve beautifully with time. Reviewers praise its structure, depth of flavor, and potential for aging, making it a standout choice for Cabernet Sauvignon aficionados.