If you choose your wineries based on the latest Wine Spectator Advance, then more than likely, you'll never find yourself here. Love him or hate him (I hate him), producers continue to harvest riper fruit in order to craft wines that appeal to Robert Parker. High alcohol, over-the-top bottles litter the Napa Valley. Then there is Corison Winery. I generally dislike all wineries along Highway 29, but Corison is one of the (very) few exceptions to the rule. These wine require patience. If you're capable of laying down a bottle and forgetting about it for 6-8+ years, then you're in for a treat--these wines age wonderfully. Speaking of wonderful, excellent customer service can be found here. Holly Evans-White was our hostess, and she was absolutely fantastic. The following week, my sister visited Corison, and although she had a different server, her feedback was equally as positive. read more

Well, since I've got a friend visiting and wanting to know about wineries I like I figured it's about time I reviewed Corison. This was a stop I had on my list b/c my friend Andy's sister, who works up in wine country recommended it, so I knew it had to be good and they totally came through. I came with my friends Jen and V from Louisiana and we only really hit three spots and Corison was our last stop. The woman who was pouring was some high level person at the winery but totally down to earth. For all I know she was Miss Corison. Either way, they were very generous with their time (it was past closing time) and their pours and I have a feeling they knew that their wine would speak for itself and it certainly did. We ended up buying a bottle that was consumed on the ride back and didn't even make it to the 101. Good cabs and super friendly staff = win! And they are right on the main drag so you don't have to sneak off (although that's what I prefer). read more

Best Napa experience yet! Jeff was fun, intelligent and funny. He really taught us a lot and added to the experience. Make an appointment and make sure to get in here. Very unique experience. read more

We were treated like 2nd class citizens when we walked in the door without an appointment. Just to mention not a another patron was in the building. She lost out on the tasting money & most likely the sale of bottles of wine. I see no need to be so rude to people especially when you are in the service industry. 3/1/2019. read more

This winery was highly recommended to me by a winemaker friend. Cathy Corison is gaining some clout in the valley for her Cabernets. Her Cabs are different from most of her peers in that they posses moderate/low amounts of alcohol and oak. You taste in a large barn-like building that is full of barrels. There is a single picnic table in the back that overlooks a gorgeous vineyard where they host the appointment tastings. The service was OUTSTANDING. Our pourer was very friendly, easy-going and professional. I felt like an important and valued guest here. We tried the Gewurzt, Cab Sauv Rose, Cab Franc, Syrah, and 3-4 Cab Sauvs. I didn't like the Gewurzt or Rose too much but the others were tasty. The famous Kronos Cab was the clear standout - it was stupendous. The Napa Cab was lovely as well. Don't come here if you're looking for a good value. The least expensive wine was the Gewurzt at $30 a bottle. Prices were as high as $95 a bottle. I didn't always taste the price they were asking - especially with the Helios line. Most of the wines were certainly tasty but not always worth the asking price. read more

We added this to our list based on a Food & Wine mag review and am happy we did. Very private tour and tasting (amid the barrels) with a full review of the owner's interesting story. Excellent wines - enjoyed trying a vertical of their two major offerings. A wonderful experience! read more

Corison Winery - The vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

Cabernet Sauvinon, that's all you need to know! Let me back up for a minute and talk about the winery itself. The tastings are by appointment only. Corison is located in prime Napa real estate and it makes for a perfect way to start the day. If coming from downtown, you have to overshoot the winery on the left side of the 29 to make a U-turn back to Corison. The tasting room is located right in the barrel room. Our host was great! She walked us through each wine with great insight to each. She also gave us a tour of the vineyard, the barrel room, and the fermentation room. I am hesitant to say that wine taste should effect any sort of rating, especially when taste is so subjective anyways. It's not like reviewing a steak house and saying they constantly overcook their meat, everyone likes different types of wines! I'll agree with some of the other yelpers in that Corison may not have the strongest line up of wine. That said, their Kronos label of Cabernet Sauvinon was some of the best we had all trip. Be warned, the bottles are pricey. Keep in mind that your tasting fee can be applied to your bottle purchases and they sell 1/2 bottles to make some purchases more affordable. Corison is great about keeping a good inventory of library wines. Instead of paying $20 for two tastings we walked away with a half bottle of 2000 Cabernet Sauvinon for $36. In all a great place to go for Cabernet Sauvinon, for great service and for a great place to go to see the wine making facilities. read more

My husband and I really enjoyed this winery and felt it provided some of the most personal service of the 18-plus wineries we visited while in Napa. The wines were wonderful -- we brought home a Gewurtztraminer, a gorgeous Pinot Rose, and a Cab. I literally wanted to buy two bottles of all of their wines. They were that tasty, and the guy who guided our tasting was so nice and knowledgeable. Plus the winery itself is super cute, with the tasting room tucked into an adorable barn. There was no tasting fee, and even though we were the only ones there, the pourer didn't put any sales pressure on us. We actually wanted to buy more but since it was our second stop of the day we wanted to be a bit more conservative. The high level of service we received should be the gold standard for Napa wineries. read more

Probably our favorite stop on our recent trip to Napa. It was one of those wineries where I just felt a certain pull --put on the clicker, turned into the drive, and in through the huge barnyard doors. It was the opposite of pretentious, rustic without being contrived. And that was just the atmosphere! We were the only ones there at that time, and it was the first day of harvest. Our pourer gave us a great impromptu tour that included meeting the winemaker, Cathy Corison. Lovely wines and well worth both our time and the tasting fee. Jeff D. said it best: "Killer, low alcohol, well-balanced" cabernets." A must-stop winery! read more

Probably one of my favorite wineries in Napa. it is probably the most down to earth place in Napa, with their tasting "room" in their working winery - surrounded by barrels and the awesome smell of fermenting cabernet :) The tasting flight included multiple (6!) wines. The flight cost $10. Corazon Gewürztraminer Corazon Cabernet Sauvignon Rose Helios Cabernet Franc 2007 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2002 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2006 Corison Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley I absolutely adore the way Cathy Corison make her wine here - rich, interesting, complex wines, but restrained, true to the soil wines and not like the fruit-bomb over-engineered Cabs that dominate the area. Her Cabs have plenty of fruit and silky tannins, but balanced with just the right amount of acidity and low alcohol that lets the wine tell it's story. The gentleman pouring that day was Bob, and he was very friendly and knowledgable - we talked about subjects ranging from Trader Joe's french wine selection to phylloxera infestation and the reason that Napa doesn't use AxR1 rootstock anymore. He made the experience enjoyable and I got to geek out a little bit over some amazing wine. read more

If you are looking for small, down to earth, AMAZINGLY crafted wines...come here please. True to the vision of what Napa set out to be, dodging the commercial bullet. The Corrison's rock and so do their wines. The family is often pouring wine in the TR and will be more than happy to pour out their library wines if asked. Don't hesitate - make this lil secret a must see in your wine tasting itinerary. read more

We made this our last winery stop in the Napa Valley before relocating to the Midwest for a job promotion. We arrived early and were immediately greeted by our fabulous library tasting guide. He offered us a glass of Gewürztraminer. We enjoyed the back vineyards for a few minutes while he finished up with another guest ( we had arrived early for our appointment). At our tasting our guide took his time and explained each of the wines and the vintages that made them what they are. We had a great visit, ended up joining one of the wine clubs, and ended up thoroughly enjoying our dinner at Farmstead! When we return to California we'll definitely return to Corison! read more

Great tasting experience @ Corrison. Wine makers also rave about Cathy Corrison for her ability to make great Napa Cabernets. The view of the Kronos Vineyard is beyond spectacular! Bud break just started this week (3rd week of March) it was amazing to see the Kronos Vineyard was much behind the bud break schedule compared to the next store neighbors. Probably because the vineyard dated back to 1972, older vines = slower bud break. Justin was our host and the experience was amazing! I particular like the 2005 Napa Cab it is showing great flavor and well balanced. The Kronos 2010 were tasting amazing already. Highly recommend to make library tasting here at Corrison ($60). read more

I am changing my review because the winemaker herself reached out and responded to me. I appreciate the refund and I will definitely be back to try your wines again. Thank you for taking the time to write a response. You don't know how much that meant to me. Much love from Texas! read more

Best stop of the day hands down. First off...Mary we love you. Mary was so knowledgable and forthcoming about everything from ladylike spitting techniques to the grounds this winery is on. We had some friends in town for an impromptu day of tasting. Our resident wine non-drinker even liked two wines from here. My Fiancé has wanted to stop here plenty of times. I am so glad we finally did The two he liked were also the two we all enjoyed best. The Gewürztraminer (dry and not sweet like what you expect for the varietal) and the Cab on the tasting menu. We learned a little about how the winemaker/owner came to own the property. I love the stories of these wineries beginning. I like learning about the wine itself but there is something about getting to know the love that goes into the wine that just makes it taste that much better. Kinda like how Grammy's recipe is always better when she makes it than when you make it. Its the love. Anyway. We will be back since we are locals. Thank you Mary! read more

I can't say much more than what was already said in previous reviews. It's really a great winery, with a great story, and even greater wines. We were a group of 12, had arranged for an appointment, and really got a highly informative session. The grounds are lovely, and the little kitty was adorable! Black and whites are the cutest. Anyway, I didn't enjoy the Gewurztraminer, but I felt like they had to throw that into the mix. It isn't the greatest, I think they know it, and they don't produce very much of it. It's not their strong suit, and that's okay. Their Cabs shine, and shine some more. The Kronos was my last taste and from the moment it touched my lips, I was in heaven. I exclaimed, "Wow." And just kept saying "Wow" over and over again. At $98/bottle, it's for a special occasion with a great meal. read more

We got to taste toward the end of the day and were the only patrons in the winery at the time. Cathy Corison herself poured our tastes and walked us through the experience. Obviously, the winegrower will be exceptionally knowledgeable about the product, so we got a great introduction to the wines. The tasting room also had this cool subterranean wine cave vibe. I ordered a bottle of an especially delicious red after noting that it was "only" $30--cheaper than most of the other wines we'd tasted. It turns out I misread and $30 was for a half-bottle, so I paid $60 for a full. You know what? It was worth it. A few months later, I had the most delicious bottle of wine with a friend at home and did not regret the price one bit. That said, I am not well-off enough to enjoy this sort of treat on a regular basis, so I was excited to see that Woot! Wine occasionally offers Corisons at a discounted price. (MA peeps: This is a good time to enlist your CT, RI, and NH friends to receive packages for you.) I would definitely taste here again. Even if I couldn't afford to buy much, I found the wines themselves to be awesome and it would be worth it just for the tasting. read more

Wines: 5 Stars Service: 5 Stars Ambience/View: 5 Stars A great winemaker, great winery manager, great customer service, in an unassuming tasting barn with a view out over the Kronos vineyard on the Valley floor looking up towards Spring Mountain. Corison is not designed for the limo crowd, it's designed for those who want to taste a stellar wine portfolio, with its focus on the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varietals, and to learn about the grapes, the harvest, the fermentation, and the bottling of the wine. You can read all of the accolades that Cathy Corison receives for her subtle, yet firm treatment of the Cabernet grape, which yields a subtle, yet firm delicious Cabernet wine. Her style is very Old World, with lower alcohol, and understated and well rounded fruits. Not a big bold Cali Cab, rather one of the most consistently well rounded vertical portfolios I've ever had the pleasure to sample. We joined their club & have had the pleasure of enjoying her wines for quite some time now. A definite star in the Napa Valley. Worth the time to make an appointment and slow down your day in St Helena. read more

Boy and I drove down Saint Helena Highway on the way to V. Sattui and we saw Corison Winery and noted to ourselves to come back. After the crowded and bustling V. Sattui, Corison was a welcoming experience. We arrived at the same time as another couple. Apparently, the Corison winery has a slippery entrance when wet (the lady ...ate it. Hard). We all recovered to enjoy the flight ($10 for 6, and of course the fee is waived with the purchase of a bottle). The man pouring was awesome and knew so much. The Boy mentioned that he found out about Corison via woot and [the man] was so excited. The Boy was disappointed to find that they were on woot 6 times and he had only seen 4 of the listings. The wine was delicious although a bit too heavy for me (cabs are yummy to me but not my favorite). He poured us a 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley and THAT was the winner. The Boy bought a bottle and we got a discount as well. Man-Pouring-Wine also gave us a handy dandy brochure with the listing of all the wineries and then pointed us to Sullivan Vineyards down the road. Going back to the other couple. They didn't say much but just drank their wines. No questions, or anything. In such a small setting, it's nice to bring something to the table. A little knowledge factoid, maybe a joke (I love jokes, especially under the influence), or a jig. They had nada. At the end they were heading out before they realized, "oh yeah, we might have to pay". Man-Pouring-Wine waved them on saying it was cool cause they woot. (BTW, they did not woot). Lesson learned: be a cool couple and bring your social game to the table. Be fun! Be eager to learn! Don't be boring. read more

Wow- I don't even know how to begin this review...the wines speak for themselves, absolutely AMAZING cabs! We tried the 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 of the Cabs and they were all delicious. We picked up a bottle of the 2005 and are eagerly awaiting the release of the 2007 Kronos. We tried the Cab Franc along with the Cab Sav Rose and the Gewürztraminer, which were all well crafted, but the cabs are like piece of art that you would like to add to your collection... Now to the overall experience, we tasted with Valerie and she was wonderful, great personality, super down to earth, and had a passion for the wines. This is not a super fancy winery, but the wines are delicious and worth every penny. I would highly recommend giving them a try and enjoying a true napa winery. If you have tried Tres Sabores, the overall feel of the winery was similar to that for us and we are looking forward to heading back in December to pick up our next bottle :) read more

We arrived and were informed they would not allow my husband and me to share a tasting. We were driving and didn't want to overindulge. Bummer, since I had heard high remarks about the Cabs. read more

This was one of the best tours/tastings we've had! Galen was super knowledgeable about the history and the wines. He didn't skip a beat. He told us everything he knew in such a short amount of time. The guys in the tasting room are fun and excited about what they do. They cherish their guests and appreciate the industry. We are excited to plan our next visit in during harvest. MUST SEE! read more

We stopped here after a long day of tasting out of pure chance. We didn't want to sit in the St. Helena traffic and I am so glad we happened to stop in! This place is outstanding. Our host, Hardy, was hilarious and well spoken, extremely knowledgeable and fun to talk to. We are happy they took us as it was close to closing time and we didn't feel rushed or bothered at all, they truly enjoy what they do at Corison and it shows in the quality of the service and wine. While the wine was slightly higher in price, every dollar is worth it as this wine will continue to cellar well for up to 15 years. I 100% recommend stopping here every chance you get. Well done Cathy and Corison team, well done. read more

The required vomit speech the staff is forced to regurgitate is boring and not wanted. We come to learn about the wine not 30 min of the owners life history. For $35 per person you get to taste 4 wines. And $55 5 wines. None of it stood out as fantastic. The Franc was the best of the bunch and buyable but eh after a horrid history course I would spend any more in there than I was forced to. How arrogant is the owner? read more

This winery boasts some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon to leave the Napa Valley, if indeed it ever leaves. The Kronos bottling is not to be missed, as some of the most remarkable CS made anywhere in the world. If you're half-sloppy drunk in the back of a limo, keep driving, as the tasting experience will be wasted on you. If you are a real food and wine person, and the wine is an equal part of your menu, Corison Winery will be part of your itinerary on a visit to Napa. If you are trying to score as much cheap wine as you can driving through wine country, stay in Vallejo. read more

A delightful spot with really friendly staff and no nonsense approach. Hopefully it doesn't get too popular!

I am thrilled to say that our visit to Corison lived up to all my expectations and more! As a tiny bit of history, my boyfriend and I ordered a bottle of the '03 Corison Cab for dinner at Gramercy Tavern (in NYC) about a year ago. I had read that this wine was best when decanted for at least 30 minutes. So almost as soon as we sat down, we asked the Sommelier to please go ahead and decant the wine, while we selected our menu and first glass of wine for the evening (a crisp Riesling). The Corison was one of the best wines to accompany a "nice" dinner that I've ever had (including pairings at Daniel, hand selected wines on multiple visits to EMP, etc). So when we decided a few months ago to book a trip to Napa, I e-mailed Corison to schedule a visit, even before booking our hotel. They were SO friendly! And of course they were thrilled that we had fallen in love with their wine at a well regarded restaurant in the City. Fast forward to finally arriving at the vineyard on our last day in Napa. We were immediately greeted by the super friendly staff. The energy in their barn was warm and inviting and we were so excited to spend the next few hours with them. Knowing we loved their wines already, we opted for the more expensive Library Tasting (we had a feeling we'd be purchasing a few bottles, so figured this expense would be offset. And it was.) And then came the bottles. The first pour was the Gewurtraminer that others have mentioned. Not my favorite, but also not why we came. Then it was onto the Cabs. We tried wines from 1999-their current release (09). It's funny someone mentioned loving their odd years, because we felt exactly the same way. I do believe that the '07 is sold out though, so not sure we got to try any from that year :( The wines are beautiful. Truly. The highlight of the Corison set for us was the '03 (maybe we were biased from the Gramercy Tavern experience, but I swear this one stood out in the tasting as well). They were on limited release, so we bought 4 bottles right there. Others that stood out were the '01 and '05s. We bought one of each of those as well. And then we tried a bunch of the Kronos wines. We would have bought some, but were at capacity as far as travelling. So we joined the club. My first shipment of the Corison '09s came a few weeks ago. I got half a dozen and I have a hankering to break one open tonight (after a long decanting, of course). Just today I received an e-mail that they are beginning to prepare for shipment of our Kronos '08 set. I think I am going to need a bigger wine rack :) Bottom line - Go visit. They are a lovely, passionate group of people who take a great amount of pride in what they produce. And it shows. read more

We had a great tasting this week - nice and sunny in the vineyard. They are a high end, small production winery, and Cathy of course is a legend. We came home with two bottles of Napa cab and splurged on a bottle of the Sunbasket Cabernet- a real treat. I wish I could join the wine club, but I can't swing one of the shipments with all the single vineyard cabs. A very enjoyable visit! read more

This place makes very good, but very expensive wine. Cabernet was a standout here. This is not a large tasting room, nor does it have much staff (or parking), so call in advance for an appointment. You'll get personalized service, and might even meet the winemaker. The wine was good, but I found myself buying 2 $80 cabs just to avoid the $40 tasting fee. read more

We had a spectacular tasting on the patio at Corison. As always, the wines are amazing. Cathy is an epic winemaker, of course. But tasting several of her wines at one time underscores how fabulous she is. Courtney was taking care of the four us today and she made a gorgeous day even better with her charm, sense of humor, and wine insights. No one could find a better wine country experience than a tasting here. read more

I have to change my review as Cathy Corison jumped in to make sure that we were happy. That was a truly appreciated action and for that the review goes up! Not all wines are for everyones pallets. But as said before the tour was great and informative. And knowing that you have a guarantee makes it worth seeing if it fits your pallet!! read more

5 for the man who served us, 2 for the wine when compared to what else is available in the area. No one wine particularly stood out to me here. However, the man who served my friend and I was very nice and recommended a few good places for us to eat. We ended up checking out one of the places, Brix, and it really was very good. I decided to try Corison because I really enjoy the wines at Milat which is right next door and had seen the sign for Corison many times. The tastings cost $10. The wines I liked best were the Cabernet Sauvignons, although there are better ones in the area. read more

This place is all about the wine, and that is A-OK with me. We met Kathy Corison, the winemaker, and she was friendly and down to earth (which can't be said about all...), and really, if anyone has the opportunity to be cocky, it would be her. I didn't realize that many of the Cabernet's I was accustomed to were "over-alcoholed." I could see the difference in these and I'm glad someone bucks the trend. Though I didn't buy any wine, I did join the mailing list (the only place I did that)...you know, just in case! read more

My wife and I were in Napa to celebrate my birthday. We enjoyed their wines before and thus decided to drop by. Officially they were by appointment only, but the winery was not busy and Gailen (sp?) was so nice to accommodate us. The winery is quite small, but very intimate. Cathy makes elegant cabs. So if you want in your face tannin juice a-la SIlver Oak, don't come here. We thought this would be 10 minute visit like other typical wine tastings, where the host would read script, pour and we drink. But Gailen was thorough in describing the wines, and we ended up having an hourlong discussion about the wines and other topics, from food to life philosophies. We also took a stroll to the beautiful vineyard in the back in between pours. read more

Great Wines but a lousy wine club. Leaving after being a member for 15 years. Last three out of six shipments missed delivery dates either through Fed Ex delays or bad info from winery read more

Yes! You need to get a reservation if you want to take a tour of their winery and do a wine tasting. A friend of mine had told me about this winery because he knows that I love French wines. Yes, the wine tasting and their wine are expensive but it's what you pay for. I was fortunate to be able to purchase a few bottles of their cab and their blends. I left there as a happy wino. LOL! My guide was great and I definitely will have to be back because I want to become one of their members. read more

Fantastic wines, from an authentic gem in Napa. Cathy Corrison is a fabulous winemaker who consistently cranks out great wines that are worth well more than what you pay for them. If you want a glitzy tour/theme park experience go elsewhere, but if you're in to great wine this is your place. read more

Most consistently wonderful cabs my friends and I have tasted in Napa. Truthfully, we were floored by how lovely and complex the three cabs we tried were. Also notable was a delightful cabernet franc. Tasting is by appointment, but you can easily get an appointment for the same day if you call. They are very friendly and accomodating. read more

My wife & I came to visit during the winter and it was such a wonderful experience that we didn't want to leave! We had a tasting appointment in the mid-morning and just were loving every second that we were there. Even though it's on the main highway, it can be easy to overlook because it's not as ostentatious or gaudy as other places down the road. Which only speaks to the fact that Corison lets its wines do the talking and goodness, do they! We only just learned about Corison late last year but I can guarantee that we'll never forget it for the rest of our lives! read more

Very nice wines, but $55 for the appointment-only tasting was ridiculous.