If anyone embodies determination more than Cathy Corison I’ve yet to meet that person. The highly respected, hard charging Napa winemaker comes in at number three on our countdown of the biggest wine movers and shakers in Northern California.
“I’m not into trends.”
When we met her for this Stark Insider interview (see below) she was hosting an intimate wine tasting during Premiere Napa Valley. It was the anti-thesis of some of the big, over-the-top parties that have been so common during the annual auction – you know, the kind where your glass of champagne might get topped off by a Cirque-style performer hanging upside down in the barrel room. I suspect she’d have none of that. Instead you might find her arm-wrestling some of Napa’s top flight winemakers. Corison’s Cabernets are, quite simply, outstanding.
“It’s the vineyards talking, not me.”
If you get a chance, add Corison Winery to your next Napa itin. I have nothing against the large, sprawling estates in castles in Napa (after all, there’s something to be said too for the grandiose and extravagant when you’re looking for a memorable experience), but the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere you’ll find at Corison Winery is a reminder that quality wine is still what matters most. Pomp and circumstance? Theatrics? Headline-grabbing? Well, perhaps that’s best left to the likes of JCB (the James Bond of wine) and Elon Musk.
I especially recommend her “Kronos” label. These are the Cabs made from grapes found on the estate vines found on the grounds of her winery. If you go, don’t miss the views on the upper balcony. Try to catch a sunset there with a glass of some of Napa’s best. If you’re lucky, Cathy herself will be enthusiastically explaining (in great detail) her pursuit of the ultimate expression of terroir. It’s a visit you won’t soon forget.
Stark Insider TV: Napa Winemaker Cathy Corison
TOP 5 WINE MOVERS AND SHAKERS 2013
5. Jeff Smith, Hourglass Vineyards
4. Gina Gallo, E.&J. Gallo Winery
3. Cathy Corrison, Corrison Winery
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