2018 CORRA Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

WA97 The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from 46% Pritchard Hill, 46% Rutherford and 8% Oakville. Deep garnet-purple in color, it jumps from the glass with exuberant scents of blackcurrant preserves, blackberry pie and blueberry compote plus compelling wafts of menthol, fragrant earth and red roses in the background with suggestions of cedar, pencil lead and truffles coming through with further swirling. Wow—the palate is big, rich and concentrated, delivering a rock-solid backbone of firm, super ripe tannins and tons of freshness supporting all those decadent black berry layers, finishing long with lots of mineral and floral sparks. 300 cases were made.
VIN96 Celia Welch’s 2018 Corra Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend taken from choice sites on Pritchard Hill, Rutherford and Oakville. A dense, sumptuous wine, the Corra Cabernet offers up a compelling mélange of black cherry, chocolate, new leather and licorice. While many 2018s are quite open in the early going, Corra is going to need some time to be at its most expressive. Even so, it is pretty alluring at this stage. Vineyard sites are Melanson, Tjetjen and US Davis (south station). 
JD96 These Corra releases are made by the incredibly talented Celia Welch. Her 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon offers a pretty, elegant, medium to full-bodied style with lots of cassis and blueberry fruits, some floral and graphite nuances, silky tannins, and a layered, elegant style that’s going to drink nicely for 15-20 years. This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly from Pritchard Hill, that spent 22 months in 65% new French oak.
Estate Notes: The 2018 Corra Cabernet Sauvignon encapsulates this season of balance. A combination of ripe red cherry and dark purple blackberries, balanced by both cinnamon bark and forest floor aromas, rise from the glass. On the palate, the entry is both broad and somewhat dense, giving juicy fresh berry flavors early on and promising much more to come for those patient enough to hold the bottle for a few years.