2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kronos

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kronos Vineyard features gentle herbal tendencies, hints of crushed stone and pencil shavings, plus reined-in cassis fruit. Medium to full-bodied (just 13.6% alcohol), it's silky and fine, like the other Corison Cab offerings. These are elegant, restrained food wines, in the best senses of those terms.

Full bottle 1,417 g. Kronos Vineyard is one of the last old Cabernet vineyards in the Napa Valley, acquired by Corison in 1995. Planted in 1971 on St George rootstock, usefully resistant to phylloxera . Yields are just 1.25 tons/acre, but the grapes are able to deliver great flavour and structure at very moderate alcohols. 'Farmed sustainably from the beginning, these deep-rooted veterans sail through any weather', according to Corison. Glowing garnet. Warm, spicy and luxurious on the nose. Napa Valley Cabernet of the purest sort. Real refinement here. The sort of wine I'd love to give those who think that all Napa Cab is overdone. There are comforting balsam notes to soothe the throat after swallowing it (it's irresistible) and the tannins are all but hidden by the subtle herb-tinged fruit until the very, very end. Finishes dry and appetising. I imagine oak played quite a role in the making of this wine but you certainly can't taste it. Very sophisticated. (JR)

Cathy Corison's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kronos Vineyard marries the brooding intensity of this site with the charm of the year, a combination that makes for a hugely appealing wine. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, menthol and spice fill out the layers. The Kronos Cabernet is typically quite a bit more potent and muscular, but the 2018 is decidedly laid back. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of mineral and savory notes that add striking complexity. Clone 2 on St. George rootstock planted in gravelly soils yield one of the most distinctive Cabernets in Napa Valley.