2020 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena

The base 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon is pretty, with a medium-bodied, elegant style as well as lots of sappy herbs, flowers, and currant-driven aromatics, fine tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. Drink this balanced, satisfying, old school Cabernet over the coming 10-12 years or so. This Cuv e spent 18 months in 50% new oak.

Picked two and a half weeks before the fires, and protected from ambient smoke as it fermented by industrial-grade air filters. Fermented with native yeasts, gentle pumpovers, and generally low temperatures. Some of the wine is macerated for a short time, some longer, and the final wine is a blend of the two. Pressed into French oak barrels (50% new) where the wine ages for 20–22 months before bottling. Dark garnet. Smells of black cherry and cassis. Gorgeous cherry, dried flowers and herb flavours have an ethereal quality as bright acidity makes for a mouth-watering package. The tannins are wispy ghosts that hang in the corners of the mouth. Utterly refined. The idea of a wine this gorgeous being made in a year when a large percentage of producers in Napa made no wine at all thanks to the fires positively boggles the mind. (AY)

Full bottle 1,432 g. 1,600 cases made of this non-estate blend, which sees 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. Mid crimson. Fairly light nose. Initially gentle tannins increasingly insist and taste drier towards the end of the palate. Acidity overrides the flesh and the whole is not quite the thrilling experience we've come to associate with any Corison Cab. (JR)