Formidable Duo’s Calistoga Cabernet

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2014 Cornerstone Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon 750 ml
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
From Opus One, Scarecrow and Lokoya to This
From Opus One, Scarecrow and Lokoya to This
Opus One. Robert Mondavi. Cardinale, Lokoya, Verité, and Quintessa. The producers on winemaker Charles Thomas’s C.V. are the marquee names of California Cabernet, and his role at these powerhouses has earned him unqualified praise from the world’s most influential critics: Robert Parker calls Thomas “brilliant” and a “star winemaker,” and Wine Spectator simply calls him “one of California’s best winemakers.” The 2014 Cornerstone Cellars Cabernet from Calistoga is the handiwork of Thomas and his winemaking partner at Cornerstone, Kari Auringer, whose own resume includes a Scarecrow 100-pointer. Their combined expertise makes them one of the most formidable winemaking duos in Napa, and the 2014 “dream vintage” delivered vivid Napa Cab, deep ruby in color, with rich blue fruits, black cherry, and seductive mocha, cedar, and spice notes. You’ll find it at the winery for $75, or on this Wine Access exclusive for only $59.99 per bottle.
Like Charles Thomas, many winemakers believe that winemaking begins in the vineyard. But few can back it up as he can, with experience at nearly every conceivable step between terroir and table. Thomas worked as barrel enologist, senior enologist, and assistant winemaker at Robert Mondavi, where he was instrumental in the conception and execution of an exclusive project called “napamedoc,” which, after a 1982 name change, became known the world over as Opus One. In the decades since, Thomas’s contributions to Cardinale, Rudd, and Quintessa have cemented his place in the pantheon of transformative winemakers.
Thomas and Auringer were lobbed a softball with the 2014 season: a “dream vintage,” according to Wine Spectator, extending the winning streak of vintages that have enshrined the early teens as among Napa’s most lauded periods in memory. The duo took full advantage of the exceptional growing season and their efforts are on full display in this Cabernet.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Conlin DipWSET
Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma