WTN: 2001 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Benchmark Napa Cab for me. Thanks to my firend John Chandler for bringing this!

Dark black/ruby color. Nose of licorice and a high tone note which is interesting. Palate follows through...licorice, dark berry fruit, high tone, good acidity. Some earthy notes. Not sure if I would hold this for a LONG time, though. ready to drink.

Definitely darker and meatier than some of the other Corison Napa Valley bottles I have tried...the 2005, for example, leans much more to the red berry fruit side rather than the blackberry notes here. This 2001 almost/sorta kinda/ reminds me of a hybrid between Corison and Georges de la Tour. Weird comparison, I know.

Absolutely outstanding wine!

No arguement on Corison cabs. As good as the valley produces IMHO.

Lou, what kind of price would one expect to pay?

Lou, what kind of price would one expect to pay?

I'm not Lou, Bob, but I play him on TV (UU humor). Corison's wines are very modestly priced, given what her neighbors are charging. Her latest offerings retail for $60-65 for the Estate bottling and $100 for her Kronos Vyd Cab.

Mark Lipton

Where you shopping Mark? Quick check on wine searcher shows more like $65-$75 with the winery price set at $80 for the estate. I long for the days when I could get the estate at $35-$40. I did pick up a stash of the 1999 recently from a local shop at $40 each but that was a negotiated price based on me taking all that was left and I am sure influenced by the size of the sale that I was building up.

Where you shopping Mark? Quick check on wine searcher shows more like $65-$75 with the winery price set at $80 for the estate. I long for the days when I could get the estate at $35-$40. I did pick up a stash of the 1999 recently from a local shop at $40 each but that was a negotiated price based on me taking all that was left and I am sure influenced by the size of the sale that I was building up.

Well, if we're going to get all nostalgic about pricing, Brian, I'm going to lament the days of '81 Ridge Geyserville at $4.25 a bottle and '78 Caymus Estate Cab at $10.99 a bottle (cue TomHill, Hoke and Lou chiming in about the days of $5 Ch. Latour). The prices I quoted were from the latest mailing I got from winery, but that was a while ago.

Mark Lipton

Where you shopping Mark? Quick check on wine searcher shows more like $65-$75 with the winery price set at $80 for the estate. I long for the days when I could get the estate at $35-$40. I did pick up a stash of the 1999 recently from a local shop at $40 each but that was a negotiated price based on me taking all that was left and I am sure influenced by the size of the sale that I was building up.

Well, if we're going to get all nostalgic about pricing, Brian, I'm going to lament the days of '81 Ridge Geyserville at $4.25 a bottle and '78 Caymus Estate Cab at $10.99 a bottle (cue TomHill, Hoke and Lou chiming in about the days of $5 Ch. Latour). The prices I quoted were from the latest mailing I got from winery, but that was a while ago.

Mark Lipton

I didn't realize you were one of those obsessive never throw away anything people. I lament your wife's situation regarding this illness.

I didn't realize you were one of those obsessive never throw away anything people. I lament your wife's situation regarding this illness.

Email, Lou, email. I have a special folder for wine offers that look at all interesting to me. That being said, I do have a bookshelf upstairs filled with back issues of CGCW and TWA going back to the early '80s.

Mark Lipton

Hi Brian -

Thank you for the great note. Corison is high on my list of Napa Cabs to try, but I have not seen any in my area recently - will continue to look.

Sadly...they are not cheap, but her second label (Helios) includes a killer Cabernet Franc that is imo one of the best varietal bottlings in Napa for the mid $30s.