Abundant winter rains got 2017 off to a great start. In August, the belly of the ripening season, the grapes enjoyed moderate days and cool nights, perfect for flavor development. Then heat in early September turned the vintage into a sprint, with the entire harvest picked over nine consecutive days. We are grateful that all our grapes were in the barn before the fires, fermented and resting safely in barrels.
The 2017 speaks eloquently of its growing season with dense, rich, layered dark fruit flavors including black raspberries, dried cherries, dark plums, cassis and boysenberries, set off by the snappy natural acidity that is a hallmark of Corison Cabernets. It is wildly complex, with baking spice and anise notes joining dried Herbs de Provence and hints of peppermint. Floral perfume is already in evidence with rose petals, violets and lavender chiming in. It feels like silk velvet on the palate. - Cathy Corison
I’ve certainly made no secret of my affinity for Cathy Corison’s wines – time and time again, she brings out the magic in a vintage with care and grace, seeking true expression of time and place without force of hand. The legacy continues here, and I’m not going to spoil your discovery with a detailed description. If you want a window into what Cathy is all about, taste this bottling alongside the 2016 vintage. The wines’ characteristics couldn’t be more different within the Cabernet spectrum, but the crystalline quality and execution couldn’t be more the same. A true California treasure she is, and this bottle is another example. Brava!
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