A couple of weeks ago, we were out visiting the in-laws in CA (there are countless stories there, but I am not allowed to tell any of them). Each time we go out to visit them, my lovely wife promises a trip out to wine country in part, at least, as “payment” for me to go (she does not know that I would go regardless so I guess it makes me an evil, manipulative husband).

Usually, we visit some of our favorite producers in Sonoma, over a well-worn trail, predominated by Pinot. This trip out, I decided to expand my horizons a bit and since our hotel (the River Terrace Inn–we recommend it) was in Napa, I thought I would book us a few tastings in Napa Valley. Unfortunately (at least from my perspective), there is not much Pinot to be had in Napa, so I knew I was going to have to keep an open mind and even taste a few Cabs (oh the humanity!).

For me, at least one of the choices was fairly clear: Cornerstone Cellars.

When I was out at the Wine Bloggers Conference last summer, Craig Camp the managing partner at Cornerstone, was very present at the conference, encouraging all of us to visit the tasting room in Yountville. He was very energetic, engaging, and enthusiastic. I figured I had to go.

The Cornerstone Tasting Room in Yountville

I shot him a note on Twitter and even though he would be out of town, he said he would certainly set up a tasting for me. We also got reservations at a French restaurant, Bistro Jeanty, which is right across the street from Cornerstone.

Perfect.

Almost.

At the last second, my lovely wife decided to stay at the hotel as I left for the afternoon tasting. This ended up probably being a good thing since shortly after I walked in, I was presented with these:

There were already a dozen wines lined up to go through! My wife would never have made it. She has gradually built up her tolerance over the years, but she has not yet learned the concept of spitting while tasting.

(It seems that I could also use a refresher course in spitting since as soon as we got to the reds, I spit into the bucket, only to have a mini tidal wave splash back at me and onto my shorts. My khaki shorts. Smooth.)

Those dozen bottles seemed to quickly reproduce and by the end of the tasting, we had gone through somewhere north of 20 different wines, including pre-release wines (some of which are not scheduled to be sold for at least another year).

Leading me through them all was the vivacious Marlene, an energetic, knowledgeable raconteur. She kept the stories (and the wine) coming for well over an hour (but seemed like just a few minutes). We were also joined at the beginning of the tasting by Cornerstone’s winemaker, Jeff Keene, transplanted from New Zealand many years ago. Listening to Jeff was a treat: not only did he answer my barrage of questions (without ever seeming annoyed), he also has that enchanting Kiwi accent (being a former linguist, I am a sucker for accents).

Cornerstone has two different lines of wines. The Steeping Stone label is designed to be more approachable sooner with rounder, softer wines that will not necessarily benefit from any significant additional bottle aging. The Cornerstone line includes wines that are more age worthy–in fact some require more time in the bottle, resulting in more complex, contemplative wines.

2011 Stepping Stone North Coast White Rocks!: Retail $12. This is a fun, every day drinker that really delivers. A bulk wine blend of Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay (although I think that might be a secret). Great flavors and acidity, I would buy a case of this for  summer evenings on the deck. Very Good. 86-88 Points.

2010 Stepping Stone Riesling: Retail $20. Labeled as Napa but 100% Carneros fruit. Crisp and clean nice food wine. Very Good. 88-90 Points.

2011 Cornerstone Sauvignon Blanc: Retail $25. Interesting nose and a wonderful mouthfeel. The wine was both acidic and creamy at the same time; I was convinced there was some Sémillon blended in, but it was 100% SB, aged in 2-3 year old oak. This is one of the best SB I’ve had in a while. Excellent. 90-92 Points.

2012 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé:  Retail $20. 100% Syrah. We tried both the 2011 and the 2012 of the Coraline, and the pre-release 2012 was incredible. Considerable heft and weight for a rosé, really remarkable. The reason? Unlike 90% (or more) of the rosés made in this country, this is not a saignée (the wine is not bled off a red wine). This fruit is only used to make a rosé. What a difference. Excellent. 91-93 Points.

2010 Stepping Stone Syrah (pre-release): Retail $25. 10% Grenache. The 2010 was noticeably richer and rounder than the 2009 with both more fruit and structure. Excellent. 89-91 Points.

2010 Stepping Stone Cab Franc (pre-release): Retail $35. Again, the 2010 was a bit bigger than the 2009. The 2009 seems to be more conducive for the table, while the 2010 is so expressive with much more raspberry fruit. The 2010 is unctuous and rich, and almost demands to be consumed on its own. Excellent. 91-93 Points.

2009 Cornerstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Retail $65. Howell Mountain and valley fruit. Classic Napa Cab with some muscle up front and finesse on the back end. Ready to drink now. Excellent. 90-92 Points.

2009 Cornerstone Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: Retail $80. A big muscular wine all the way through, this is certainly what I think of when I hear “Napa Cab”. I am still coming around to this style but this is very, very nice. Excellent 91-93 Points.

2009 Cornerstone The Cornerstone:  Retail $125. This wine is available to the Wine Club only. It certainly needs more time but it is oh so, so good. One of the richer, more complete wines I have had in a while. Great fruit and a stiff backbone, I would hold this for at least 5-8 years and more than likely 10-15. Exceptional. 93-95 Points.

2010 Cornerstone The Cornerstone:  Retail $125. Bigger fruit and softer than the 2009, this wine will likely be approachable sooner than the 2009. This still has a ways to go as well, certainly, and will no doubt benefit from the extra time until release. Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

In the end, I left with numerous bottles: the Sauvignon Blanc, the 2009 Cabernet Franc, and 2010 Cornerstone Pinot (not reviewed here since we tasted it right before going to dinner across the street–it was not a part of the 20+ odd bottles from the afternoon). I tried to convince Marlene to sell me some of the 2012 Coraline Rosé, but she was steadfast, insisting that they were not available for purchase yet (so I grabbed some of the 2011).

Truly one of the better tasting room experiences I have had in a while. Thanks to everyone at Cornerstone, particularly Craig, Jeff, and above all, Marlene. Cheers!