2016 Corra Cabernet Sauvignon

As to the red from winemaker Celia Welch, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes mostly from Pritchard Hill as well as Oakville and Rutherford. It has an awesome bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, cedar shavings, and dried flowers. Incredibly complex, it doesn’t lose a beat on the palate and is medium to full-bodied, has ultra-fine tannins, and incredibly purity of fruit. As with all the wines Celia makes, it’s impeccably balanced. It can be drunk today with plenty of pleasure, yet I suspect it will be even better with 4-5 years of bottle age and drink nicely for 15-20 years or more.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is rich, dense and explosive, with tremendous energy and intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum, lavender and sweet spice abound in a striking, vibrant Cabernet Sauvignon endowed with tremendous intensity. All the elements come together in this vivid, captivating Cabernet Sauvignon from Corra and proprietor Celia Welch. The 2016 is a blend of fruit from sites in Rutherford, Oakville and on Pritchard Hill, and spent 22 months in oak, 65% new.

This project started in 2004. Grapes come from Celia Welch's own vineyard—50% from Pritchard Hill and 50% from Oakville/Rutherford. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon was aged 22 months in 70% new French oak. Deep purple-black in color, it reveals vibrant notes of black cherries, black raspberries and cassis with hints of chocolate box, violets, damp soil, menthol and cumin seed plus a touch of black olives. The palate is full-bodied, firm and grainy with a solid core of muscular black fruits sparked with loads of earth and floral notes, finishing very long. 450 cases produced.