Rubychick

9.2

Oh Failla how I’ve missed you ❤️. I remember my tasting visit on the verandah and Ehren walking in through the front. This was back in 2013 when I was working as an intern for Abe Schoener at The Scholium Project. Magical times, magical wine found in my small Australian hometown. 2021 at $110 Australian and worth every dollar ❤️ — 5 months ago

with See and Erika

Leah Parsons

9.5

Always a treat. Congrats on finishing intern year, Mike! — 5 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This wine is called "Poise." On the nose, the fruits are combination of candied, tart and just a touch sour all at the same time. The fruit on the palate are ripe; Banana w/peel, pineapple, Meyer lemons, green & golden apple & lime candy. Soft/delicate minerality, spice that's subtle but builds as it sits on the palate, dry top soil and yellow florals/lilies. The body is medium. It's slightly waxy & oily. There's a honey beeswax quality. Banana w/peel, pineapple, Meyer lemons, green & golden apple, lime candy, grapefruit, soft/delicate, powdery minerality, dry top soil, brilliant round acidity, yellow florals/lilies and a long, rich, well polished finish. Most of the photos were sent to me by Elena from Top. One of their vineyards, Stanley Barrios (Owner/Winemaker), barrel storage & tasting area, some of their beautiful fruit and some rows of vines. Producer notes and history...Stanley Barrios was born in Los Angeles and raised in Inglewood California. Stanley got into wine after he met Nick Elliott of Nicora at a wine storage facility in North Hollywood where he was pouring his wines. At the time, Stanley was getting deeply involved in wine. He read all winemaking materials he could get his hands on. The day he met Nick he convinced him to let him intern in his cellar and worked his first harvest in 2013. Stanley still holds his investment firm job in Los Angeles. He and his wife started TOP in 2014. They both shared a passion for wine and had talked about starting a winery but with limited resources and living in Los Angeles the idea of starting their own winery seemed far-fetched. When opportunity knocked, they rushed to the opportunity. They chose a spinning top as their logo. For them, it's a metaphor for balance. Life is constantly in motion, but seldom in balance. Right now, they make wine in small quantities...only 200 cases their first vintage. In 2015, they produced about 500 cases and the 2016 vintage about 800 cases. They mainly focus on Rhone varietals; Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Roussanne. They are very minimalistic in cellar and try not to get in the way of what the grapes want to do. I have said this many times, if you have good fruit get out of it's way. If you don't, bring in lots of influences...like over oaking it etc.. Good to see a young producer know that earlier in their career. Nice job on the Poise. — 7 years ago

Amier

9.3

Drank at 2nd intern bachelor night — 2 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.1

Glouglou indeed! Fresh strawberries and just the right amount of brett.

Updating because of a coincidence too fortuitous not to document/share: I just learned that my current boss/winemaker for Goldeneye was herself a harvest intern at Domaine Binner back in ‘14 and has lots of great anecdotes... — 5 years ago

with Maura

Ross Cobb

Owner/Winemaker Cobb Wines, Winemaker Hirsch Vineyards, Claypool Cellars, Banshee Wines

9.1

Great post- harvest surprise from our intern — 7 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

On the nose, stewed fruits of; black plum, blackberries, dark cherries, plum and blueberries. Mocha, chocolate, mixed berry cola, sweet spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, loamy mineral soils and dry dark florals. The mouthfeel is less concentrated than other vintages of Corison but that's indicative of the 10 Napa vintage generally. The tannins are nicely resolved with another 5-8 years before they are completely resolve. The fruits are; dark cherries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, blackberries with strawberries that dance around the rest of the fruit. There's nice barrel toast, vanilla, nutmeg, light clove, cinnamon, touch of wood shavings, liqueur notes, caramel, mocha chocolate, mix berry cola, loamy soils, dry crushed rocks, bramble, dry stems with nice soft round acidity. The finish is a little lean but tasty. Good balance of fruit and earth with long, rich elegance. Cathy slightly overachieved the 10 vintage as a whole. Photos of; her estate building, Cathy in her vineyard, grapes coming in at night (better to harvest when the fruit is cooler) and her estate vineyard in all it's glory. Producer notes and history...Cathy Corison grew up in Riverside, California. She studied biology at Pomona College and was on their men's diving team, because the school didn't have a women's team. In 1972, she had to take an extracurricular class. She signed up for a trampoline class, but changed her mind upon seeing a sign-up sheet for a wine tasting class. This class was the catalyst that sparked her interest in winemaking. After graduation in 1975, she moved to Napa Valley in California. She received her Master's degree in Enology from University of California, Davis. Upon moving to Napa, she started working in the tasting room at Sterling Vineyards and at a wine shop. During this time, she was getting her Master's degree at the University of California, Davis. She was told by her professor that she would not get a job in Napa Valley because of being a woman. However, if she wasn't the first Napa Valley female Winemaker, she was certainly one of the first. She tried to get a job at Freemark Abbey and was denied because they believed she could not work in the cellar. She almost took a job at Christian Brothers in the enology lab. However, she decided not to take the job and in 1978 she became an intern at Freemark Abbey and eventually became their Winemaker. She joined Chappellet in 1983 and was their Winemaker for nearly ten years. She founded Corison Winery, in 1987. The winery is located in St. Helena, California in a barn built by her husband, William Martin. Corison makes Cabernet and Gewürztraminer. They produce about 3,500 cases a year depending on the vintage. The winery makes a Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and as well as a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The Kronos is an estate wine that is made from organic grapes. The vineyard is dry farmed. The grapes come from one of the oldest vineyards in Napa Valley. The Napa Valley Cabernet comes from Rutherford. The Gewürztraminer is called Corazón and comes from the Anderson Valley. — 7 years ago

Lindsay Corrigan

8.9

Enjoyable PN with unusual tasting notes. Nose was light maraschino cherry & brown sugar essence. Appearance is transparent electric red & legs are skinny. A debate on tastes between myself & my trusty intern...I had splash of raspberry with flavour of Kahlua throughout mouth & end of sweet chilli warmth. The intern had flavours of Lowney’s chocolate Cherry 🍒 Blossom nugget bar. Maraschino Cherry + syrup, milk chocolate, shredded coconut and roasted peanut pieces. #Grasshopper👏🏻 well played. Bargain @ $15 🍷! — 4 years ago

John Olson

9.2

Wonderful Company intern tasting — 6 years ago

Sean Wallner - WSET II

9.2

Helped make this wine when I was a harvest intern at Left Coast Cellars in 2016! I swear my rating isn't biased. — 7 years ago