“My goal as a winemaker is to produce exceptional varietal wines which reflect the uniqueness of the vineyard and the microclimate"
Craig Becker, winemaker
Armstrong Ranch: Coverage
From the Christmas Catalogue of the St. Helena Wine Center
2002 Armstrong Ranch
Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon
It is not that often someone walks into our wine shop with a 160 case total production, Diamond Mountain District Cabernet from 22 year old vines that we haven’t heard of. But there she was, petite Mrs. Armstrong, with this big 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from her and family estate. Mountain grown fruit at its best, this intensely flavored wine shows pencil shavings, crushed rocks, cassis and the darkest of black cherries, structured with incredibly integrated firm tannins, on the full finish. An amazing wine for your cellar at an unheard of price. $65.00
From Groezinger Wine Merchants Newsletter
One of the greatest pleasures of having a wine shop in the heart of Napa is that we are always among the first to taste the undiscovered gems of the Valley, or, as in this case, of the surrounding mountain tops. Armstrong Ranch Vineyard was planted in 1984 and grafted to the original Tellichef cuttings of Clone 6 Cabernet in ’85 and ’86. Resting on Diamond Mountain at elevations between 850 and 1200 feet above sea level, 13 acres of vines struggle to survive in thin, obsidian laden volcanic soils in multiple microclimates, ultimately yielding less than two tons per acre of tiny, intensely flavored grapes. Talented winemaker Craig Becker, formerly of Spring Mountain Winery, guides the fruit from harvest to bottle, and the results are stunning. Loads of black currant, boysenberry, wild cherry, plum, spruce, mineral, tobacco, anise, and mint are all evident in this densely packed and complicatedly multi-layered wine. The tannins are firm, gripping and almost refusing to let go of the palate on the long finish. Only 160 cases of this wine were made, and we expect this to come and go from our shelves in a big hurry, so don’t delay. This one is a legend!
http://www.groezingers.com/newsletter.asp#RED