CORNELL ‘COURTSHIP’ 2019 CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Eighteen years ago on the top of Spring Mountain, Henry and Vanessa Cornell purchased a plot of rugged, untamed ground on a former stagecoach route where vines had been tended by early settlers. With respect for the land foremost in their minds, they returned the rolling hillsides to vineyards. Two hundred wild acres with sweeping views contain twenty acres of obsessively farmed vineyard blocks, each with its own distinctive imprint. Under the guidance of winemakers Francoise Peschon and Elizabeth Tangney, Cornell Vineyards strives to make a Cabernet Sauvignon that is faithful to the diversity of this impressive land.

Considered relatively small in terms of wineries in Sonoma, Cornell Vineyards are structured in 20 blocks for a total of 20 acres (approximately 30,000 vines). Bordeaux varietals are their focus: Cabernet Sauvignon (17 acres); Merlot (1 acre), Petit Verdot (1 acre); Malbec (one-half acre), and Cabernet Franc (one-half acre). Like many wine producers creating exceptional wines, Cornell Vineyards uses only a small percentage of the very best vineyard lots, 25 separate picks were conducted in 2014, only 36% of the harvested grapes ended up going into the final blend.