2019 Cornell Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Producer: Cornell Vinyards
Region: Fountaingrove District, Sonoma County, CA
Country: USA
Grapes: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec
Vintage: 2019
ABV: 14.5%
Vivino: 4.4
Drink By: 2038
Occasional Wine Note: Wines from grapes grown on mountain sides are generally more sought after than those from grapes grown in lowlands or valleys, as these wines are usually more complex and age worthy. This is because the slopes force the grapes to struggle for water and nutrients making these grapes, again, more complex, sometime more austere, and mostly more age worthy. This offering checks these boxes. This is a more powerful Cabernet than most you'll find in Sonoma. We do love the normally softer, sometimes even more elegant versions of Cabernet you find in Sonoma versus those generally bigger, more powerful Cabs from neighboring Napa. This Cornell could easily be mistaken for a Napa offering. If you must drink now, let it open for a bit, but for best results let it sit in your cellar for 5+ years.
Vinous
Critic Score: 97
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is super-elegant and refined, but also somewhat closed following its bottling, which is not uncommon for mountain wines. That period of stubbornness seems to be part of the evolution here, as the wine tends to only blossom after a few years. Today, the 2019 is marked by its brilliant upper register, striking balance and vibrancy. It is another compelling wine from Cornell.