We love this Estate Cabernet from Cornell because upon opening, with a quick decant, it tastes incredible. While meant to be enjoyed sooner than their flagship Estate Cabernet, the pedigree is there, from the winemaking team to the terroir. Francoise Peschon, consulting winemaker, and Elizabeth Tangney, winemaker and viticulturist, oversee this Spring Mountain estate vineyard. After almost a decade, the vines and soil are showing their potential. Cornell Vineyards is in the Mayacamas Range just west of the Spring Mountain District. It’s a microcosm of incredible geological diversity. With the rolling terrain, it led Francoise and their vineyard team to identify 20 distinct blocks, each bearing a different combination of variety, clone, and rootstock. 2019 marks the third vintage of Cornell’s newest Cabernet Sauvignon that comes from their vineyard. The vines averages about 2-2.5 tons per acre which is low but offers focused dark red, fruit and underlying notes of dark cocoa in the glass. “Exuberant and inviting from first greeting, the 2019 Courtship fulfills our yearning for pure cabernet enjoyment. Aromas of splashy red fruit jump from the glass while ripe plum and raspberry are framed by rose and hibiscus on the palate. Fine tannins and a core of minerality elevate this stylish Estate-grown wine.” 739 cases were produced.