Cabernet Sauvignon (1993)

About this wine

This fully mature Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley shows a graceful mix of red cherry and raspberry fruit wrapped in notes of cedar, graphite and dried flowers. With time in bottle the wine has developed savory forest floor and loamy earth tones that add real depth and complexity. The palate is medium bodied with vibrant acidity, polished yet persistent tannins and a long, finely detailed finish. Made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on classic benchland sites between Rutherford and Saint Helena, it reflects Cathy Corison’s restrained style, with moderate alcohol and an emphasis on balance rather than sheer power. The 1993 vintage has proved to be very ageworthy, and today the wine offers an elegant combination of mature tertiary nuances and still lively fruit. This is a benchmark example of traditionally styled Napa Cabernet from one of the region’s most respected producers.

About the grape

Cabernet Sauvignon originated in Bordeaux in the seventeenth century as a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, and spread to Napa Valley in the late nineteenth century where it became the regions benchmark red grape. In the early years of Corison, including the 1993 vintage, Cathy Corison sourced Cabernet Sauvignon from gravelly benchland vineyards between Rutherford and St. Helena, sites prized for well drained alluvial soils that naturally limit yields and give small thick skinned berries. Cabernet Sauvignon is late ripening and favors the warm days and cool nights of central Napa Valley, which in 1993 allowed full physiological ripeness at moderate sugar levels, supporting the relatively modest alcohol that characterizes Corison wines. For this bottling the variety was handled in a classical Napa fashion with gentle destemming, fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and extended aging in French oak barrels so that the structure and ageworthy character of Cabernet Sauvignon could anchor the wine for decades.

Quick facts

• 🍷 The 1993 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon sits at only 12.8 percent alcohol at a time when many Napa Cabernets were becoming much richer so it feels surprisingly graceful on the palate
• 📍 Grapes for the 1993 vintage came from classic benchland vineyards between Rutherford and St Helena so the wine captures a slice of Napa history from before the big phylloxera driven replanting wave
• ⏳ At retrospective tastings decades later the 1993 often stands out for its silky texture and fully resolved tannins showing how gently Corison Cabernets can evolve with time
• 🌟 Cathy Corison crafted the 1993 in a deliberately elegant style while many neighbors chased bigger flashier Cabernets so the wine has become a favorite for fans of subtle old school Napa
• 🕰 The 1993 was bottled in both standard bottles and large magnums so well cellared examples can taste almost time capsule fresh even after more than thirty years

Palate profile

Producer

Corison Winery, founded in 1987 by winemaker Cathy Corison, is a family-owned estate in Napa Valley, California, renowned for producing elegant and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon wines. In 1995, Cathy and her husband, William Martin, acquired the historic Kronos Vineyard, planted in 1971, making it one of the oldest Cabernet vineyards in the region. They expanded their estate in 2015 by purchasing the Sunbasket Vineyard, a site they had sourced from for over 25 years. Committed to sustainability, both vineyards are certified organic, and the winery operates entirely on solar power. The winery's labels feature symbols inspired by ancient vases from one of Europe's earliest wine-producing cultures, reflecting a deep connection to winemaking history.