“We handcraft our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon without compromise from select benchland vineyards in the heart of the Napa Valley.”
CORISON WINERY
Corison Winery is a small family farm producing delicious Cabernet Sauvignons that speak of place. Over three decades, Cathy Corison and William Martin have built a special home to celebrate the best of our little corner of the world, benchland in the heart of the Napa Valley. Known for power and elegance, Corison wines are balanced to grace the table and are recognized throughout the world for their longevity and consistency.
Founded in 1987
In 1987, Cathy Corison began to purchase great Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from prime benchland vineyards between Rutherford and St. Helena, intent on making powerful and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks of place. These well-drained alluvial soils had a long history of producing balanced, age-worthy, world-class wines, reaching back to the late 19th century. In her early years everything was done with smoke and mirrors, using purchased fruit and space in others’ wineries.
Cathy’s husband, William Martin, led the search for a home and in 1995, they purchased Kronos Vineyard. A farm for over a century, there was finally an estate vineyard and a place to build a winery. In the spring of 1999 we broke ground to build our stately Victorian-style winery barn, designed and orchestrated by William. Our second estate vineyard, Sunbasket, a stone’s throw from the winery, was purchased in 2015 after sourcing it for over 25 years.
Cathy and William’s daughters have been involved at the winery their whole lives, and in 2020 returned to work on the family farm. Grace is full-time at the winery and helps in so many areas, from winemaking and farming to hospitality and management, including getting the vineyards certified organic. Rose continues part-time, and helps with harvest, bottling, bookkeeping, IT and more.
The images on the Corison labels are inspired by old life symbols based on rain and a sprouting seed. They were found on embellished vases excavated from the site of one of the earliest European cultures to cultivate grapes and make wine over 7,000 years ago.