2001 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena
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Tasting notes
Cathy Corison's 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a very pretty wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Sweet dried cherry, mint, licorice, spice, tobacco and dried herbs are all signatures of a wine that has reached its plateau of maturity. There is more than enough freshness to ensure at least another handful of years of fine drinking, but I would not push my luck on aging.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Bright red with ruby tones. Cool, restrained aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, black cherry, menthol, licorice and fresh herbs, lifted by pepper and floral nuances. Suave and fine-grained on entry, then expands slightly in the middle palate without losing its vibrancy. As on the nose, musky berry flavors are more black and purple than red, with very good retention of acidity giving thrust and definition to the middle palate. Little new oak to get in the way of the fruit. This is evolving at a snail's pace and is still quite savory and fresh. Finishes with firm-edged yet very suave tannins and subtle berry persistence. Not sweet but quite fruit-driven, this youthful, sappy wine may yet develop more complexity as it reaches full maturity and softens further. My highest mark to date for this bottling.
Bright red with ruby tones. Cool, restrained aromas of blueberry, baysenberry, black cherry, menthol, licorice and fresh herbs, lifted by pepper and floral nuances. Suave and fine-grained on entry, then expands slightly in the middle palate without losing its vibrancy. As on the nose, musky berry flavors are more black and purple than red, with very good retention of acidity giving thrust and definition to the middle palate. Little new oak to get in the way of the fruit. This is evolving at a snail's pace and is still quite savory and fresh. Finishes with firm-edged yet very suave tannins and subtle berry persistence. Not sweet but quite fruit-driven, this youthful, sappy wine may yet develop more complexity as it reaches full maturity and softens further. My highest mark to date for this bottling.
Soft and evolved, black fruit still very ripe and fresh. Beautifully constructed. Doesn't really show a huge range of flavour considering its maturity. (RH)
About the producer
Cathy Corison is one of Napa’s leading lights – a matriarch of the region who crafts defiantly elegant Cabernet Sauvignon from her old vines on the benchland between Rutherford and St Helena. These refined, long-ageing wines are some of Napa’s most impressive.