2015 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon Kronos Vineyard

Somehow, Corison's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Kronos Vineyard smells like cherry cobbler, complete with hints of cinnamon and brown sugar, yet it isn't sweet or over-the-top at all, being built in the classic Corison mold—restrained, medium-bodied and silky-textured. There's just a hint of leather-like evolution that peeks through on the lingering finish, along with even more mouthwatering cherries.

Deep ruby in colour. Sweet blackcurrant, black cherry and savoury, toasted spices on the nose. Very refined on the palate, with super-sweet tannins for a velveteen texture and pure driven cassis at the core. Great intensity builds through the mid palate but this remains ethereal and elegant throughout with fresh acidity and moderate alcohol. Great drive and length on the finish. Subtle but superb, with the best yet to come. (TP)

Wet weather in spring during 2015 led to incredibly small crops throughout the region. Tiny yields and warm temperatures during the growing season combined to create a vintage of incredible concentration and plenty of structure. Generally, wines from Napa Valley have good complexity and structural presence for ageing, though the vintage is likely to be preferred by those looking for more restraint rather than lushness. Ruby-black core to ruby edges. Star bright in the glass. Pretty aromatics of dried lavender, gunpowder, dried roses, and cedar carry into the palate. Nice balance of structure to flavour here makes it feel closer to the 2013 than the 2014 in balance and overall form. There is just a bit more complexity and finesse to the 2013 compared with this wine but everything here is wonderfully done. A lovely wine. Ample, powder-fine tannin mean this vintage again strikes that balance of being more approachable than the tannin would likely imply while having sufficient tannin load to evolve quite well and for a long time in bottle. Accents of exotic perfume, blooming roses, ruby-red grapefruit and pomelo, gunpowder and iron, and crystalline earthiness through a long finish. Wonderful vintage. Just a bit of chocolate-cherry liqueur here currently will deepen and evolve with time in bottle. While the wine offers quite a bit now it will reveal far more with age. (ECB)