Aurora Vineyard is nestled in a small valley midway up Diamond Mountain on a large knoll located at an elevation of 1,200 feet. The knoll projects off the mountainside, giving the vineyards full Southern exposure and open light from the East and West and protection from Napa Valley's summer fog. Six acres of the vineyard are planted in the knoll's rich, volcanic soils that are riddled with basalt cobble in a loamy red clay. The remaining six acres are planted in a deep gravely mix of white volcanic ash and chips of decomposed Rhyolite that were washed down from the steep, rocky crags of Diamond Mountain above. For the 2018 vintage, the fruit was gently de-stemmed and selected berry-by-berry to create this nuanced, elegant vintage of Checkerboard Aurora. On entry, the wine is savory with vanilla bean, dark red fruits, and aged proscuitto. It's then broad, fleshy and full-bodied with spiced plum and caramel and subtler notes of red pepper flake and leather. The tannins are supple and silky and provide the foundation for a lingering finish.| Checkerboard Vineyards, Winemaker Martha McClellanWith a laser focus on black fruit character - cassis, blackberry, and fig, the entry is tighter than King's Row - very polished and sleek. The oak quality stands out. Structure is very firm with the austerity giving in slightly to retro-nasal aromatics of cigar wrapper and fully textured tannins on the finish. | Falling Bright