Corison, Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena

It took 6 hours of decanting, but it got there. Spectacular flavor. So bright and floral with plenty of deep fruit and licorice beneath. Really special with room to improve. Can't wait to taste in 10 years. I could savor the complex nose for days.

2021 vintage

PNP over two hours. Lavender, lavender, lavender! Excellent wine. Everything in perfect balance and not heavy ~13.5%. Lots of floral, lightly herbaceous, red and black fruit. Very enjoyable and highly recommended. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 20 months in French oak barrels, of which 50% were new.

2021 vintage

Deep, dark, reddish-purple in color, essentially opaque. Full, forward & aromatic nose ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & cassis with floral & earthy/dusty notes, spices, dark cocoa, graphite, coffee grounds, herbs, mint/eucalyptus, minerals & a touch of vanilla/oak in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, rich, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with spices, herbs, cocoa, espresso, minerals & a hint of vanilla/oak. Long lingering finish. …

2021 vintage

Bell pepper, fresh blackberries, and graphite-like minerality. Medium plus tannin and acid. Midpalate and finish are fruit-laden and exceptional. Poured a glass and let decant in bottle for 3 hours. While it’s enjoyable, definitely not anywhere near its full potential, but a wine that is clearly of high quality. The Corison freshness and balance I’ve heard about for years delivers. Still going strong on day 3 with an espresso character beginning to show. Really proves this wine has what it …

2019 vintage

- Purple color - Vivid, long, aquired body after 4 days. Old style,low alcohol,very elegant. Good stuff. Need long time cellaring . 94 for now, but with upside

2021 vintage

Lovely Napa cab for those of us who don’t like heavily extracted, big Napa cab. Plum, current, and cocoa powder (that “Rutherford dust” people talk about). Really lovely now, but structure to go for a while.

2019 vintage

Wonderfully smooth Cab.

2019 vintage

Purple fruit, violet, gloriously fragrant yet delectably succulent, too. Lighter weight than the Kronos.

2021 vintage

(median value of available pro reviews)

2019 vintage

Delicious even at age 4; potent boysenberry plum nose, immediately accessible with hints of violet and pencil. Impressive depth of fruit in the mouth but for its dense core, fresh acidity and digestible alcohol (13.6%). Wonderful. 93-94

2021 vintage

Decanted. I really like this- lovely aromas of fresh fruits, violets, and a hint of earth. On the palate, we got restrained fruits- torn between red (raspberry) and black berries, lovely acidity, elegant, fresh, and incredibly balanced. Very calm, silky, and definitely what I think about whenever I think of finesse. This is really good and definitely will buy more

2021 vintage

Plumb cassis and violets on the nose. Med body, young purple fruit. Slightly spicy, elegant. Needs time, stylistically similiar to a Bordeaux left bank claret Napa Tasting at ME

2021 vintage

Excellent. This is young though. Opened and decanted five hours day one. Back into the bottle, cork pushed back in, and last two glasses day three (no taste day two). Good day one, great day three. Full bodied, silky, classy. I want to say obviously high end napa, but in an elegant classical way. Not jammy, punchy. I’ve had Corison before, too young, and this multi day experiment made me want to buy more and hide away for years. If …

2019 vintage

Deep ruby, black currant, touch of menthol, medium bodied, acid is nice and high, tannins are quite firm, oak just perceptible, 13.8%, right down the middle, lovely wine.

2019 vintage

Exceptional bottle of Cabernet from Napa Valley. Certainly a more modern style Cab where the focus on purity and elegance is dominant. On the nose the wine showcases beautiful array of blackberries, black currant, violets, lavender, dark red cherries, graphite and hints of baking spices. On the palate the wine showed smooth tannins, surprisingly high acidity and an overall great balance. Very good and concentrated mid palate with long after taste. We did decant this wine and it did show …

2019 vintage

Started to show well about two hours out of the bottle.

2019 vintage

The '19 Corison is a really promising young Cabernet, made in a style that reminds me a little bit of great Nebbiolo/Pinot Noir, with a sense of density without weight. There is also a sense of sweetness to the fruit here that is stunning. On the nose, I found very sweet, almost candy-like dark red to black berry fruit, alongside sweet spice, lavender, and a touch of bitter chocolate and licorice. The nose stands out for the sweetness of fruit. …

2019 vintage

Just perfectly balanced, smooth as can be. Black fruit and pepper and somehow concentrated while being light and elegant. Just beautiful.

2019 vintage

Red berry and mushrooms on the nose. Palate of blackberry and cherry. Extreme finesse here. Enjoyable now, but it's got plenty of structure to age as well. Tasted at Corison in St. Helena.

2021 vintage

Soft on the tongue. Cocoa. Flavor lingers on the finish. Dark plumb color. A must-have. Love it.

2019 vintage

I had to try a bottle, but it's still too young to assess. Bright purple in the glass. Floral scents, dusty earth and all the flavors are still coming together but show tremendous promise. Seems to have plenty of rich (yet bright) fruit and acidity to age well. Will try to wait 5 or even 10 years for the next bottle.

2021 vintage

The nose is beautifully balanced and flowing with gorgeous tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, currants, baking spices, dark plums, licorice, cranberries, mint leaves, and a pretty dose of violets. This is snowing so well right now as it emits from the glass with excellent depth and balance. The Full bodied feel is balanced and refined with fresh, medium acidity and velvety, medium+ tannins. The structure is pretty silky, but there is clear youth as well to let you know …

2021 vintage

Tasting Notes: Tremendous bouquet of floral notes intertwined with black fruit and spice. Deeper, richer, and earthy aromas dominate. Characteristics: The 2019 vintage had an extended ripening period due to a very cold year, resulting in a rich, layered wine with complexity. The blend features a higher percentage of older Sunbasket Vineyard grapes, adding spice, layers of complexity, and a well-rounded profile. The wine is drinking beautifully now, showcasing balanced earthiness and depth.

2019 vintage

Tasting Notes: Notes of blackberry and dark cherry with a slightly more aromatic nose than in previous years. Characteristics: 2021, a drought year, leading to smaller, more concentrated berries. This vintage is marked by an aromatic profile and elegant structure. Smooth and clean, short but elegant finish, with a hint of acidity and subtle red fruit notes.

2021 vintage

Didn't take any notes (hey, it was New Year's Eve!) but this was superb. 3+ hours decant. Smooth, elegant and bright fruited. Impressive finish. Just beautiful. Day 2 and detailed notes: Bright red with translucence toward the edges. Aromas of cherry, touch of cedar, blueberries. Smooth and elegant on the palate, black cherry, blueberry, sweet oak. Fine tannins, lovely acidity, fabulous balance. Finishes long and subtle with red fruits and a hint of spice. Beautiful Cab. Drink next 10 years.

2019 vintage

Very tight and coiled upon first opening. 3 hr decant as others said is required. Nose opens to strong floral and dark berries. Good now, better later. I’ll be adding more of the 2019 and holding for years.

2019 vintage

thanksgiving wine! drinks well on open, in the sense that the tannins/structure is approachable. after 3h in decanter, it starts to blossom and show dark fruits (maybe cassis?), some gravel minerals, bell pepper

2019 vintage

Agree with Charlie C's notes. For me it started to open up after 90 minutes of air.

2021 vintage

Dark red with slight fading at the rim. Lush blackberry aroma. Plush but structured on the palate. Blackberry, cherry, tobacco, bit of cedar. Gorgeous. Chocolate notes on the mid-palate. Fine, firm tannins. Could stand 3 to 4 years to soften. Beautifully balanced acidity. Finishes very long and lovely, blackberries and sweet tobacco. A great Cabernet. Give it 4 years to develop, then drink for another 6 years. This has a definite upside.

2021 vintage

Didn't hit quite the heights I was hoping for, a bit tired and flatter.

1989 vintage

I've got many good bottles of this and for good reason. This is a solid, solid Cabernet. I opened one up recently to pair w a thick steak I prepared (reverse seared to a perfect medium/medium rare). Upon open, the first taste was a bit austere, which I personally love. However, I decanted it in a proper decanter for 3 hours, which allowed the tannins to mellow out a bit and for more fresh and fruity (sweet) notes to appear …

2019 vintage

Nice with dinner, lots of fruit but excellent acidity as well. Need to explore the Corison stable of wines, I suspect they are my kind of Napa.

2019 vintage

Tasted at the winery. Lovely color. Wide open for business as many 2019s are (at least in my opinion). Lovely red cherries and raspberries, some darker fruits, lovely complexity. Medium to medium light body with supple tannins and nice acidity. Elegance and power. Should do very well in the cellar but can hardly blame pulling corks now. 92+, personally slightly preferred the 18 here.

2019 vintage

Colour: Deep ruby, purple, opaque, with a medium+ reddish rim and legs. Nose: A very good mix or black fruit notes and earth. Blackberries, black currants, black cherries, along with a slight hint of green note are wonderfully mixed in with the earthy tones and forest floor. Slight hint of oak, vanilla, and truffles in the background; very well integrated. This is quite lovely. Palate: This is quite restrained unlike a lot of the Napas out there. Earthy, graphite, cedar, …

2019 vintage

Tasted at Wine & Spirits Top 100, NYC. Another fairly typical Corison Napa cab. Plush, fresh, complex, black fruit, spice box, tobacco etc. Pretty consistent with expectations for this wine. Long. Needs cellaring and aeration. So hard to make truly balanced wines in Napa these days but this comes close.

2019 vintage

Straight out of the bottle this was restrained but enjoyable. Seemed a bit awkward during the decant period and was subsequently rebottled to bring to a friends house, where it received an additional two hours slow-ox before getting into it. At this point it began to shine. Strikes me as a New World Wine done in an old world style, showing restrained tannins, earth more than fruit, and anything other than "in your face" styling. Very enjoyable w a long …

2019 vintage

Royal purple in color. Bordeaux like in its nose, elegance and even graphitic tones. Nose of glycerine, earth and blackberry crumble. Black and blue fruit, floral and cedar on the palate. Wet stone throughout. Finishes with a strong rush of acidity. Lovely but with legs to go on for years. Another standout from Corison. 13.8 abv.

2019 vintage

Herbs and berries on the nose, a refined style, medium to full bodied with high toned acid and fresh feels on the palate, shows some cassis, currant, licorice, herb and stone nuances, tender mouthfeel, fine tannin, elegant and structured, lifted, this is Napa Cab quenching the thirst and delivering the goods, great match with rib-eye steak

2019 vintage

My first Corison. Decanted 2 hours. Paired with grilled ribeye, bearnaise. What a treat. Way above expectations. Dark ruby color, fruity, tannins under control, balanced. So happy to find a Napa cab this good while still young.

2019 vintage

Just shy of 2 years from my last bottle. This needed about 30 min to open up in the glass. Although the wine is alive and the balance and finish are good, the wine is essentially without fruit. It was still a fun and pleasant drinking experience and it paired well with Japanese A5 filet mignon but these are over the hill and should be consumed near term. The longevity though is still a testament to Cathy’s incredible winemaking.

1989 vintage

Wait

2019 vintage

Popped and poured- ready to go with 20 min of air. Stellar wine that’s barely identifiable as new world. Has all the pencil shavings and graphite that brings you right to Bordeaux. The balance and finish are great. Certainly in its prime with a solid 5 years plus of good drinking. Revisit 2025

1989 vintage

This bottle had seen better days. Cork disintegrated, tawny color, reduced oxidative nose.

1989 vintage

4 hour decant- not nearly as good as when tasted at the winery. Perhaps a slightly off bottle but nonetheless still a delight to drink. Compared to the 1997 Kronos that I drank last week, the 1997 was far superior. Hopefully my remaining 89’s are better. This is in its prime but no rush to drink.

1989 vintage

Savory and earthy. Light on the palate and pure.sweer tobacco on the palate.

1989 vintage

Flavors of a spiced mulled wine with plenty of cinnamon, cloves, orange, and vanilla. Delicious and complex. $400 at winery.

1989 vintage

Cathy Corison's 1989 Cabernet Sauvignon is drinking beautifully from magnum right now, with a very pure bouquet of black raspberry, dusty coco-like soil tones and an attractive framing of new oak and cedar. On the palate the wine is juicy, open-knit and supremely drinkable: the tannins have largely melted away, but everything remains vibrant and lively. Supremely drinkable wine.

1989 vintage

Tasted out of magnum with Cathy Corison presiding as part of a panel tasting. From a "tough" year, this is gorgeous. Nice note of sage, great balance in the structure, smooth texture.

1989 vintage

Seems kind of on the edge. Occasional hints of vinegar, but they then blow off. Cassis, dried fruit, leaves, etc.

1989 vintage

Consistant with previous bottle and notes. Perhaps slightly less underpinning to support the wine, but still quite lovely and enjoyable. We drank this with a prime rib dinner alongside 1986 Mouton Rothschild and the Corison stood its ground proudly (however, two vastly different approaches)!

1989 vintage

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Corison, Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena

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