Vertical Tasting at Corison with a Frontline View of Vintage 2015

I had been looking forward to touring Corison Winery since I took a Napa Valley wine class from Matt Stamp, Master Sommelier. He brought in a fantastic array of wines for the tasting but the 2008 Corison "Kronos Vineyard" is the one wine that stood out for me. I made a mental note on it then and I remember thinking that I would visit soon; 2 1/2 years later, I finally made it out here.

Day 2 started at Corison Winery where I briefly got to meet Cathy Corison before she was called back to the front line to start the new vintage. It was great fun to see her step into action at every level while inhaling the aromas of the newly fermenting wine filling the air. You could see the care she takes from the very first steps of the winemaking process.

Sales manager, Justin Boudrie toured us through the gnarly old grapevines in the Kronos Vineyard.The old vine Cabernet Sauvignon is sustainably farmed on gravelly loam soils. The vineyard is located on the benchland between Rutherford and St Helena in Napa Valley. He went into great depth about his respect for Cathy and her vineyard management and winemaking philosophy, information that I will be using in an upcoming feature.

He then toured us through the winery and back to the tasting room.

The Tasting:
2002 Corison Napa Valley (approximately $185)- From magnum, very fresh, cherry, blackberry, plum, chocolate, spice, full body, smooth.
2004 Corison Napa Valley (approximately $150)- Rich, blackberry, pencil shaving, firm tannins, structured.
2006 Corison Napa Valley (approximately $125)- A grab bag of weather brought different challenges all year; Deep, rich, complex; mixed berry jam, dark chocolate, coffee, clove, velvety tannins, long rich finish.
2010 Corison Napa Valley (approximately $100)- Cooler than usual vintage; Structured, elegant, more restrained, blackberry, baking spice, pencil shavings, long lingering minerality.
2012 Corison Napa Valley (approximately $85)- Perfect growing season; Bright, fresh ripe cherry and cranberry, floral note, youthful, approachable, ripe velvety tannins, long fruity finish.

2011 Corison "Kronos Vineyard" (approximately $165)- Long, cool vintage; Rich cherry, blackberry and plum with a floral note, touch of mint and minerality. Elegant, powerful, expressive.

This was one of my favorite winery visits. I met the winemaker and I saw her making wine, I toured the vineyards, the winery and I had a phenomenal tasting, that is a Napa Valley experience. The winery is open daily to the public with a tour and library tasting for $55, by appointment only.

An Immersive Introduction into the World of Asolo Prosecco

Dinner Views at Osteria Alla Baracca. I was very excited to visit the Asolo DOCG Prosecco region at the end of May on a press trip as it is an Italian area that I have not previously traveled through. Asolo is located in the Province of Treviso at the foot of Monte Grappa in the high hills to the west of the Piave River with views of the Dolomites. The grapes are grown in 17 communes surrounding the town of Asolo. The days were very warm while I was there but I needed a sweater or light jacket on most evenings due to the diurnal swing that makes it a great area for grape growing. Wines from the Master Class Tasting. Asolo was elevated to the DOCG level in 2009. The majority of the Prosecco that I have found in Houston is Prosecco DOC which is mostly from very large producers. Asolo was separated from this category and the region was given this higher status because there are terroir elements that make it distinctive in the world of Prosecco. The Sant'Anna Vineyard. Many of the vin

Lust Zinfandel 2007

My husband loves this wine so he purchased quite a few bottles at a recent Michael~David dinner that we had attended. Last night, I decided to open a bottle to serve with dinner. I was making a roasted southwestern pork tenderloin, sweet potato fries (w/ chipolte ketchup) and a salad consisting of baby lettuce (fresh from my garden) with strawberries, red bell peppers, red onions and walnuts tossed with a white balsamic-raspberry vinaigrette. This turned out to be a great pairing. It is a bold wine that really stood up to the strong chipolte seasoning while complementing the fruit flavors. I opened the bottle a 1/2 hour before I served it as I have found this wine to be more enjoyable when I do so. The Lust Zinfandel by Michael~David 2007 was a dark purple color with a ruby rim. It has intense aromas of very ripe mixed berries and baking spices-both allspice and ginger with hints of cedar. It has flavors of creme de cassis, milk chocolate and also more of the baking

Effervescent Elegance

In the December 2023 issue of Galveston Monthly , I explore the world of classic method sparkling wine. The holiday season is always an excellent time to enjoy some effervescent elegance in your glass!

Wine Life - Houston

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