Corison Winery is a small family farm producing delicious Cabernet Sauvignons that speak of place. Over three decades, Cathy Corison and William Martin have built a special home to celebrate the best of their little corner of the world; benchland in the heart of the Napa Valley. Known for power and elegance, Corison wines are balanced to grace the table and are recognized throughout the world for their longevity and consistency.

Cathy’s winemaking journey began nearly 50 years ago when she took a wine appreciation course at Pomona College on a complete whim. She fell in love with wine for all the usual reasons, but, as a Biology major, was also taken by the fact that wine is the result of a fascinating collaboration among a series of living systems. Two years later she graduated, and two days after that, arrived in the Napa Valley, bent on making wine. A master’s degree in Enology at UC Davis followed, and then a harvest internship at Freemark Abbey in 1978. Winemaking positions included Yverdon in 1979-1980 and then Chappellet Vineyard for the 1980’s. In 1987, toward the end of her tenure at Chappellet, there was a wine inside her that needed to get out and she began to buy grapes and barrels (instead of cars and houses). Using other wineries’ excess capacity while continuing to moonlight at Staglin, York Creek and Long Meadow Ranch, Corison Winery was born.

In 1987, Cathy Corison began to purchase great Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from prime benchland vineyards between Rutherford and St. Helena, intent on making powerful and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks of place. These well-drained alluvial soils had a long history of producing balanced, age-worthy, world-class wines, reaching back to the late 19th century. In her early years everything was done with smoke and mirrors, using purchased fruit and space in others’ wineries.

Cathy married her husband, William Martin in 1992. He is the IT and Accounting departments for the winery, searched for and orchestrated the purchase of the Kronos Vineyard in 1995, a property that had been a farm for over a century, designed the winery barn and the classic landscaping and shepherded them through the arduous permit process. He then renovated the old house, originally built in 1898, which has since been rechristened the Palm House. His next big project was the masterful renovation of the old house, Most recently, he negotiated the purchase of Sunbasket Vineyard, a favorite vineyard that Corison Winery had sourced for nearly 30 years, and negotiated a long term lease on another adjacent vineyard. Other duties include forklift driver, grape hauler, crush hand and the thankless task of managing bottling.

“Cathy Corison is my heroine. She makes such great wine – the essence of Napa Valley minus the bludgeoning force, plus a sensible price tag.” – Jancis Robinson

“Cathy Corison is a national treasure.” – Hugh Johnson, Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book

Wines:
2019 Corison Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Trade Tools:
Corison Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – 2019 Shelf Talkers
2019 Press/Ratings

PRODUCER WEBSITE

“We handcraft our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon without compromise from select benchland vineyards in the heart of the Napa Valley.” – Winemaker, Cathy Corison