Description
Cornell, “Courtship” Cabernet Sauvignon
According to owners Vanessa and Henry Cornell, today’s 2019 is a result of a two-decade-long “courtship” between them and their land which they first started developing in 2001. This marks their third limited release with deep, savory, beautifully concentrated estate-grown Cabernet placed front and center. It was aged 19 months in 53% new French oak, and, while it may go without saying, I’ll say it anyway: The wine drinks like something twice as expensive.
It garnered all the gushing critical acclaim one could ask for, thanks to its combination of immense depth and vibrant, mineral-laden energy—a Spring Mountain signature. In the glass, it displays an opaque ruby-black core moving to a magenta rim, with a kaleidoscopic fruit profile that includes lush black and blueberries, ripe red plum, cassis, and huckleberry layered with an array of savory notes—cedar, tobacco, sage, tar, and dusty earth. The tannins are incredibly fine and well-integrated and for all of the wine’s juicy concentration, it still remains taut, nuanced, and fresh. Decant it 60 minutes before serving in large Bordeaux stems or lay it down for a decade—in a perfect world, you’d do both!
