Corison 2013 Corison

2013 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 was a near-perfect vintage. The weather was ideal for flowering in the
spring, which resulted in a plentiful crop, followed by an unseasonably cool
summer with highs seldom climbing out of the 80F’s, and nary a heat spike
over 95F. The nighttime temperatures were correspondingly chilly, which
gave the wine a firm structure on which to hang the complex flavors. A
particularly luscious texture coupled with snappy natural acidity is a delight,
providing a yin and yang duality. Aromas and flavors tend toward the dark
end of the Cabernet fruit spectrum with blueberries, black cherries,
blackberries and dark plums all singing in close harmony. Complexing notes
include tobacco, baking spices, chocolate, and savory herbs including sage,
thyme and basil. Floral notes of violets and rose petals play with a notable
stony minerality in the aromas and long finish.
– Cathy Corison

Reviews:

Decanter
Californian Cabernet 2013: Top five wines of the vintage: Corison, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2013 Decanter.com, October 4, 2016

Decanter
96 Corison, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2013 – Beautifully perfumed aromas of rose petal, violets, blackberry, dark chocolate and incipient cigar tobacco burst from the glass in a striking array, the prelude to a wine that’s structured around refined, savoury tannins and juicy acidity. An ethereal and classically proportioned Cabernet which will age effortlessly thanks to its flawless balance, likely putting on weight with bottle age. Terrific stuff; not to be missed. 2016 California Wine Guide
Decanter
California 2013 Vintage Guide: Best producers in the California 2013 vintage – Cabernet Sauvignon: Ridge Vineyards, MacDonald, Corison, Philip Togni, Dominus Estate, Dunn Vineyards, Schrader Cellars, Screaming Eagle, BOND, Harlan Estate, Maybach, Rivers-Marie William Kelley, June 24, 2016

Decanter
94 …there’s an air of precise, pure wild blueberry fruit. The soft, plush palate is unforced and gentle, concentrated but not extracted, still tight and all about the fruit and velvet texture. A little oak spice on the finish to lift it all. Anne Krebiehl, December 2016

Antonio Galloni presents VINOUS – explore all things wine
94 A deep, inky wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is endowed with serious depth. Here the flavors are unusually dark and intense, with plenty of blue and black stone fruits. Graphite, cloves and licorice contribute to an overall impression of gravitas… Hints of violet, lavender and plum add the final shades of nuance. All of the signatures of the vintage come through beautifully. The translucent, mineral-laced finish is especially appealing. Frankly, it’s hard to put the glass down. Antonio Galloni, Oct. 2015
Corison – I have been drinking Cathy Corison’s Cabernets since the mid 1990s, but this is the first time I have tasted the wines from barrel at such an early stage. It is fascinating to taste the vineyards that go into the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon separately. In particular, the 2013 Cabernet from Hayne is compelling for the striking purity of its fruit. Some of the other benchland sites display more ferrous, mineral notes that add complexity to the blend. Antonio Galloni, tastings, April 2014

View from the Cellar
2013 Corison Winery “Napa Valley” Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Cathy Corison’s 2013 Napa Valley bottling is the first cabernet sauvignon I have tasted from this vintage, and the wine is an absolute classic in the making. The beautifully youthful and pure nose wafts from the glass in a blend of red and black cherries, a hint of meatiness, incipient notes of Rutherford Dust, cigar wrapper, a touch of allspice and a very refined framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full bodied, focused and impeccably balanced, with a fine core of fruit, ripe tannins, lovely soil inflection and outstanding length and grip on the cool, classy and nascently complex finish. At 13.5 percent alcohol, this wine is just perfect in all respects and simply needs the addition of bottle age to blossom into a hauntingly beautiful bottle of cabernet sauvignon. 94 John Gilman, July-August 2015, #58