
Reviews
Technical Details
- Blend35% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon
- WinemakerKari Auringer
- CountryUS
- RegionCalifornia
- Sub-RegionNorth Coast
- AppellationNapa Valley
- VineyardOakville Station Vineyard
- Alcohol15.2%
- Production355 cases
Cornerstone Cellars Red Wine Oakville Station Vineyard Oakville Napa Valley 2017
We scored a scintillating cache of Cornerstone Cellars some weeks back – and we’ve gotta say...it sure has been a blast sharing them with y’all! Cornerstone Cellars is a Napa icon, founded in 1991 atop Howell Mountain by founder Dr. Mike Dragutsky following a tasting and moment of inspiration at the hands of Howell Mountain legend, Randy Dunn. They've had their fair share of celebrity winemakers over the years, first with Celia Welch (Scarecrow) and now with consultant Charles Thomas (Quintessa, Lokoya) helming the ship alongside longtime day-to-day winemaker, Kari Auringer. Kari was Celia's long-time assistant winemaker, who worked with her hand in hand for years at Cornerstone and a variety of her other projects. The winery has been rightfully revered over the decades for its ability to secure top-notch fruit from some of the greatest vineyards in all of Napa. Today’s stunning deal is no different, and if you’ve never experienced Oakville Station before...prepare for a lightning strike to the cerebral cortex!
Oakville Station is To Kalon without the price tag. Seriously. As outrageous of a claim as that seems to be – this spectacular vineyard has been used to further our understanding of vineyards and viticulture since 1880 when To Kalon pioneer Henry Walker Crabb carved out a 40-acre parcel in the very heart of his To Kalon vineyard, and allowed for its use in research by the California Viticulture Commissioners, then the USDA, and for the last 50+ years UC Davis’s esteemed viticulture and oenology department. It’s surrounded on all sides by the modern-day To Kalon boundaries – a stone’s throw from Mondavi’s revered Monastery Block and some of the most expensive fruit to be found on the planet.
This 2017 Oakville Station blend is just about equal parts cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot – and absolutely lives up to the pedigree of this legendary site. A silky smooth texture throughout, with a juicy core of bramble berries of all colors and shapes – blackberry, raspberry, blueberry – accompanied by sweet cherry kirsch, and a lovely flourish of roasted and dried herbs. Notes of fractured granite and iron ore minerality provide the spine that provides the length of this remarkably fresh sipper, and the perfect balance of the cabernet franc and merlot grants this a floral, lively elegance without the intense heaviness. The cabernet sauvignon is certainly not shy, either, giving a structured and richly fruited core that grants this offering exceptional heft and bearing. Great stuff, to be certain, that is just now hitting its prime drinking years. Under $50 each when you snag two or more makes this a 93 point Oakville wonder to be studied – but we’ll leave that to the good folks at UC Davis...we’re drinking this ourselves for sheer pleasure and delight! We suggest you do the same – while we’ve got it, at least!
PAIRING IDEAS: Ever had buffalo burgers? The lean, muscular, grass-fed nature of the meat gives it a richness and intensity that really pops – especially with the perfect pairing. A glass of this is the fitting choice, and add in some unique toppings to really drive it home – pickled shallots, stone-ground mustard, garlic aioli, and some broiled feta on top!
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