Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
To call them more feminine might be risky, but the great Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons have a velvetiness that’s so hedonistic you feel as though someone just wrapped you in a cashmere blanket. Cornell, a breathtaking property in the Mayacamas Mountains, is owned by ex-Goldman Sachs executive Henry Cornell who spent years patching together pieces of virgin land in the mountains. The classically structured wines are overseen by Françoise Peschon (also Accendo) and they flow with slow mesmerizing savory, earthy and red fruit flavors.
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James Suckling
Blackcurrant, bramble berry and forest-floor aromas, including bark and mushroom. Lovely sweetness of fruit in the nose. Medium-bodied with real elegance and balance. Firm, fine tannins run the length of the wine. Lovely balance and focus. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 5% malbec and 2% cabernet franc.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The concentrated 2016 Cornell Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the state's most impressive red wines. TASTING NOTES: This wine is an outstanding experience in a glass. Its aromas and flavors of penetrating black fruit and an accent of oak make it a classic choice with a rare cut of prime rib. (Tasted: February 18, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon sashays out of the glass with compelling notes of warm black plums, blackberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake plus touches of chocolate mint, cedar chest and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with juicy black fruit, framed by fine-grained tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long and minty.
While Sonoma County is acclaimed—and rightfully so—for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels, it also produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the region’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, only a handful produce top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations include Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons made in these appellations can offer a complex array of aromas and flavors. Fruit notes such as blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry and raspberry often are accompanied by hints of graphite, dusty earth, cigar box, toast and vanilla. The varietal has a rich history in Sonoma, and some of these Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends rival the best from Napa Valley.