2009 Stepping Stone “Rocks!” Red Wine (from Cornerstone Cellars)

HE says:  A few months back, we told you about Cornerstone’s rocking’ idea to create blended wines from what they determined is the best varietals of the vintage.

SHE says:  Here it is! It was a Cornerstone Fourth of July for us this year!

Cornerstone Cellars 2009 Stepping Stone "Rocks!"

HE continues:  We loved the white, which was a unique blend of chardonnay and muscat.  Well, I’m happy to say that the “Rocks!”  Red Wine follows nicely in its footsteps.  Ok, maybe more like plods over it because this is one big and bold wine.

It’s again a unique blend – zinfandel and pinot noir.  Now, I’m a huge zin fan and I don’t think I’ve ever had, yet alone heard of, such a pairing.  Zin is usually very fruity and “in your face” while pinot noir is more delicate and refined, so putting them together is a bit like having Mick Jagger duet with Sade.  But, you know, it works.

HE says some more:  The nose is really forward as is the fruit in this wine.  I didn’t know the blend when I tasted it and my senses kept telling me syrah.  The flavors are lots of black fruits and black cherry, with a hint of cocoa.  I thought it would have some zin, but I never imagined the pinot noir. Regardless, it’s a pretty juicy bomb of a wine.  The alcohol is up there, at 14.9% and the acid comes through more than the tannins.  So I recommend you have this wine with food, like barbecue ribs or meat or a juicy burger.
I rated it a very good 15.

SHE says:  You, my love have a complicated palate.  And you, my wine:  You’re a sharp, but friendly kinda wine.  Leaving a little fire in your path, I’ll likely follow.

Full disclosure stuff some fed somewhere thinks we should tell you:  This review is not a paid review.  We purchase most of the wines we write about (or steal them if we have to).  We do occasionally receive wine releases from Cornerstone Cellars.  Our readers know that free wine would never interfere with our honest opinions.  (Just glance around the blog and you’ll see that’s true.)

Picnic Wine – 2010 Stepping Stone (from Cornerstone Cellars) Rocks! White Wine, Napa Valley

2010 Stepping Stone (from Cornerstone Cellars) Rocks! White Wine, Napa Valley  

HE Says:  Cornerstone is onto a really rockin’ idea. They’re going to make a blended white and a blended red wine from the best varietals of the vintage.  It won’t be the same proportions, or even the same grapes, year after year.  This allows the winemakers lots of freedom to experiment and the ability to put out something really different and special.

For 2010, the Stepping Stone Rocks! white wine is an intriguing blend of chardonnay and muscat. I don’t think this is a combination I’ve come across before — if so, it was a long time ago.  This combo really works.  It has a hint of white peaches on the nose, making me think they added some viognier to it, but they didn’t.  The wine has a pale color, and is soft and smooth.  It has nice fruitiness, and sweet tones from the muscat grapes, but it’s not a sweet wine by any means. This wine does really rock!  I gave it a 15+, which is very strong for a white.

SHE Says:  Memories of Juicy Fruit gum come to mind.  This one sings opera – she is a soprano.

HE and SHE both say: A Sunday brunch wine, and perfect for a salad dinner and a picnic.  In fact, that’s what we expected and why we chose it for our 4th of July picnic!

Click here for more Picnic Wines from Stepping Stone at Cornerstone Cellars.

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Picnic Wine – Stepping Stone 2010 Napa Valley Rosé, Corallina, Syrah

Picnic Wine – Stepping Stone 2010 Napa Valley Rosé, Corallina, Syrah

Picnic Wine - note the Rooster in the background inviting you to take a "Walk on the Wild Side"

HE says:  First off, let me admit that I’m not a big Rosé fan.  I think it comes down to they don’t have the burst of fruity notes of white   wine or the complexity and power of red wine.  They seem a bit confused as to what they are — not a white, not a red, something kinda sorta in-between. That’s not to say they’re bad wines, but they just don’t really do much for me.  Producers in California have really been pushing rosés the past decade, and every one I have tried has underwhelmed me. And for some reason, all the winemakers love to suggest that rosés are the perfect wines for barbecue. Did they all get the same talking points page put out by the rosé wine council? Well for once I’m going to be serving a rosé with barbecue — ribs, fish tacos, spicy and salty asian flavors — so we’ll see how it fares.

Now that you know my thoughts on rosés, what do I think about the Stepping Stone 2010 Napa Valley Rosé?  Well, it’s made entirely from syrah grapes grown in the Oak Knoll district in Napa.  They named the wine Corallina, which means coral in Italian and sounds more alluring.  The coral refers to the color, and it is a very pretty coral color.  We described it as kissed by a strawberry.   A soft strawberry flavor predominates.  It’s crisp and refreshing, very easy drinking.  Would make a nice picnic wine. That being said, it wasn’t a “wow” wine for me, and pretty much fell into the pack with the other rosés I’ve tried over the years.  A decent 14 score.

SHE says:  A decent 14?  I hope my kisses score higher than the “kissed by a strawberry wine”

HE Says:  Yes, most of your kisses do score much higher.

SHE says:  Most?!?!  Your Russian genes are showing.   About the wine:  You’re very nice.  You can stay if you want, but don’t take it personally if I dont’ remember you in the morning, ok?

Links to all of our Fourth of July wine posts.

Want to try Stepping Stone or other Cornerstone Wines?  Click here for more info on where and how to buy!

Picnic Wine – Stepping Stone 2010 Riesling, from Cornerstone Cellars, Napa Valley

Picnic Wine – Stepping Stone 2010 Riesling, from Cornerstone Cellars, Napa Valley

HE says: I haven’t had too many California Rieslings in all my years of tasting. This Riesling comes from the Carneros region in the South of Napa, a long ways away from Germany or the Alsace region in France.  True to form, the aromas are wonderfully flowery — very similar to the Rocks wine with notes of white peaches.  The wine is very different in flavor tho.  This Riesling is very dry and crisp, with a nice minerally finish.  The acidity will make it great for all our spicy and tangy barbecue flavors.  This Riesling is not sweet in any form. I rated it a very nice 14.

SHE says:  You’re very serious for a white wine, must be the German genes.

Thanks for reading!  Click here for links to all of our 4th of July Picnic wine descriptions. 

Cornerstone Cellars 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

HE and SHE BOTH SAY:
Cornerstone Cellars Howell Mountain Cabernets… mmmmmm.  You don’t share them with just anybody.  Choose your friends ‘wisely’ for the sharing of this wine as you want to be sure they appreciate the textures, the mood, the love.  And maybe choose your friends with long noses because the aromas are 1/2 of the romance with the Howell Mountain Cabs.

We haven’t visited Howell Mountain yet, but those mountains are calling to us with this wine.  We hear the terrain is rugged and this is what helps to give this cabernet its intensity and power. The wine holds the spirit of the terroir and so will you after you drink it.    If you’re still wondering what the mysterious “terroir” is that wine enthusiasts talk about, taste the Cornerstone Cellars Howell Mountain and you will grasp it.  Terroir is the land, it is the terrain, it is the fog, the air,  the people, the fruit — the everything.

HE SAYS: Like most Howell Mountain wines, this one is big and bold.  The nose was very intoxicating — I just kept on wanting to inhale it.  It is a very complex and well balanced wine, with wonderful cherry flavors and medium tannins. The ’06 is very enjoyable now, but you could age this wine for a few years and allow the tannins to soften even more.  Serve with meat! Really quite nice, I gave it a very strong score of 16.

SHE SAYS: You’re a little mysterious, aren’t you?  Bold and sexy, but mysterious.  I want to meet you back here in a few years.

FRIENDS SAY:
S: Very tannic. Opened up nicely to subtle cherry’s.  Beautiful Oak.
KS:  Opened up quickly and nicely.  Very pleasing experience.  I’d like to go there again.
KMS: A seductive tango of berrys with subtext.
T :  Opened rapidly.  I forgot all about beer for a moment.
CC:  I want more.  Has a nice peppery midrange.
AR:  I’d drink it again and I’m a picky girl.

Cornerstone: Stepping Stone Cab Franc 2007 (Los Carneros, Napa Valley)

Well, it’s that time again.  Cornerstone Cellars sent us four bottles of wine to review.  (Thank you, Cornerstone!)  We organized two wine dinners to taste the wines with friends and the feedback is outstanding.  We even included their observations in these posts. Cornerstone brands are completely consistent year after year.  Amazing.  Something special happening over there.

Stepping Stone Cab Franc 2007 -  HE AND SHE BOTH SAY: Let’s talk about Stepping Stone.    Cornerstone’s intent with their brand Stepping Stone is to make excellent wines at moderate prices.  Don’t know about you, but we’re eager explorers  and take more chances when the prices are moderate.  Direct from their site, Cornerstone writes:  “For us, each new vintage is a stepping stone, one step in the never-ending voyage of exploration that is winemaking.”  So when you’re ready for a new experience Stepping Stone will be a reliable experiment.

HE SAYS: This cab franc is very soft and supple, with distinct cherry notes.  It is medium bodied, easy to drink and quite pleasant.   No tannin to speak of, so enjoy it now.  I gave it a very respectable score of 14.

SHE SAYS: Whoa!  You have my attention!

SERVE WITH: This cab franc will go with a lot of foods that pair well with red wine with, such as beef, pork or Italian food, or you can just drink enjoy with some noshes.

We let our friends chime in with their notes on the wine:

KMS: Easy & inviting & rich.
CC: Zingy, peppery taste
AR: Didn’t do anything for me.
SL : Very drinkable, inviting, soft & smooth
TE: I wish I could stop thinking about beer.
KS: Very ready to drink
MS: Oh, I’m sooo drunk.  (Recognize that? It’s the mating call of the Southern belle.)

Cornerstone Cellars, Napa Valley, CA

Cornerstone Cellars in Napa Valley asked us to review two wines for them.  We’re honored that they trust us enough to know that we would be honest even when the wines are complimentary.  That’s just how we roll.  So, let’s get to drinking and sharing… Cornerstone Cellars makes just two (2) wines.  Both Cabernet Sauvignon, one named Howell Mountain and another named just Napa Valley.  They make their wines in a collective facility helping to make a smaller carbon footprint in Napa Valley.   SHE loves environmentally aware people and products and this is an extra special bonus for these exceptional wines. Celebrating their 17th vintage, Cornerstone works with one of the world’s finest winemakers, Celia Masyczek. The wines arrived and SHE showed exceptional discipline, let the wines settle for two weeks and we drank last night with another foodie while we dined on small grilled steaks, roasted rosemary potatoes, grilled asparagas and a luscious salad with HE’s homemade Parmesan dressing.
CORNERSTONE CELLARS 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain — From the moment SHE opened it, poured and sniffed, she said, “It’s a classic! It smells exactly like a perfect cabernet.”  From the Howell Mountain district, the grapes were fermented on the skin before pressing.  Aged in French Oak (75% new) Beautiful results.
HE SAYS: Very good structure.  He gives it a 16+ (you’ll recall HIS high score is a 20 and he scores like a Russian judge).  Low tanin, medium acid, HE tastes Cocoa, dark fruit and berries.  Has a great mouth feel.  Drink in a few years.
SHE SAYS: Attenzione!  If I could trade you in for water, I would.  Forget water — just serve me the 2004 Howell Mountain.  I love a wine that bites me back and this one did just fine.  This wine would turn me into a very fun companion on long car trips.
CORNERSTONE CELLARS 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – Remember the song from kindergarden “My hat it has three corners…” Well this Cabernet hails from three corners of Napa: Howell Mountain, Oakville and Southeast corner of Napa Valley.  Grapes were tank-fermented before being pressed and then aged in oak.
HE SAYS: Softer and Silky feel.    Cherry and Berry flavors.  GREAT FRUIT! – Delicious. A berry bomb.  More acid than tanning.  A really approachable wine.  Enjoy this wine now.
SHE SAYS: You’re nice, and I like you, I’ll drink you in toto — but why do you make me work so hard to know who you are?  (In the black and white film version of this moment, she, looking suspiciously like Veronica Lake,  throws the glass across the room and it shatters on the yellow wall.  The glass is empty. She drank it all.)

Visit their site, http://www.cornerstonecellars.com learn about their intense dedication to winemaking and order a couple of bottles for yourself.  You’ll see – well, actually, you’ll taste and then you’ll see.  Thank you, Cornerstone Cellars!