Stepping Stone By Cornerstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

You’d think Cornerstone Cellars winemaker Jeff Keene would have his hands full - and stained permanently purple - with the highly regarded Cabernet Sauvingon he makes for the label.  He does find the time, though, to have a little fun.

It must surely be fun for him to play around with the fantastic fruit at his disposal, fruit he uses to make wines for their Stepping Stone line.  Stepping Stone by Cornerstone has some interesting blends, lively whites, and Cabernet Sauvignon that is good enough to resent its place in a “value” line.

The grapes for Stepping Stone's 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced from four different vineyards.  The website describes the sources and their purposes like this: “The muscular, dense and concentrated fruit of Howell Mountain, the refined clarity and elegance of Rutherford to the lively aromatics and lush, vibrant sophistication of Oak Knoll, which are all balanced with a little lift and mid palate richness from our Carneros and Oakville Merlots, bring a unique harmony to this wine.”  It’s not a headbanger, with an alcohol content of only 13.9% abv.  This clocks in at the top-end of the range of Cornerstone’s line of value-priced wines, at $35 retail.  Cornerstone provided a sample for the purpose of this article.

The wine is medium dark in the glass, with a nose that pleases right away.  Big notes of blackberry mix with raspberry and black cherry while the oak spices roll in underneath.  Clove, vanilla and anise change places with each swirl.  It’s really nice on the palate, almost silky smooth with a tannic structure that does not overwhelm.  The oak definitely plays a part on the palate, but it, too, is used in good measure.  Blackberries and black cherry have some cola-like fun, and the freshness of the wine makes it oh-so-easy to drink.


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Stepping Stone By Cornerstone North Coast Rocks! White Wine 2011

Cornerstone Cellars of Napa Valley has branched out in recent years to offer a line of everyday wines intended for immediate consumption.  Winemaker Jeff Keene has crafted another beautiful white for the Rocks! line.  Each vintage of the line can show variations in the makeup, depending upon what grapes are chosen.  The 2011 vintage strayed a bit from the 2010 lineup of Chardonnay and Muscat.  Gewürztraminer is in the mix with Chardonnay this time around, and that wonderful, spicy grape really makes itself known.  The wine strikes an alcohol number of 13.5% abv.

The white Rocks! is golden in the glass, with a nose boasting a big floral element, some huge tropical fruit, citrus, apricot and cantaloupe.  The palate shows great acidity that’s zippy and refreshing.  Spice is up front, but the citrus and tropical flavors shine as well.  The lime zest really plays it up on the finish.

Pair it with a salad, any type of seafood, or a bratwurst, even.  It’s a good everyday wine at a suggested retail price of $18.


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STEPPING STONE BY CORNERSTONE RED ROCKS!

Napa Valley producer Cornerstone Cellars makes some big, expensive red wines which are prized entries in a lot of wine collections.  Wine drinkers looking for a more affordable taste of Napa - or simply a good everyday wine - are finding Cornerstone's Stepping Stone line to be just as valuable.

A further subset of the bargain brand - the Rocks! line - offers blends not only of different grapes, but of different attitudes.  Old World styles meet New World creativity in this line, and the Stepping Stone Red Rocks! is a perfect example of that mindset.  Cornerstone provided a sample to me.

Cornerstone winemaker Jeff Keene has crafted an unusual red blend of Zinfandel and Pinot Noir.  That combination may sound crazy to some, if not heretical.  It works, though.  There’s a good deal of both grapes in this wine, with the brawn and spice of the Zin and the dark moodiness of the Pinot Noir.  The 14.9% abv number is definitely more New World than Old.

The nose boasts loads of blackberries and vanilla, and good deal of alcohol, to boot.  That aggressiveness diminishes after a half hour or so, but an even longer breathing time is advised.  It's a good idea to decant this wine if you can.

On the palate, flavors of blackberries, cigars and licorice leap out for a really intriguing flavor profile.  The tannins are extremely healthy.  Pair Red Rocks! with the biggest, meanest piece of meat on the grill.  This wine will tame it.

My tasting routine generally spans three nights, so I have a chance to examine how a wine develops over time.  Due to a hectic schedule and some evenings out, this particular bottle lasted almost a week.  After five days open the tannins are still quite firm, although less aggressive, and the nose and palate offer a greater sense of tar, tobacco and leather.  It exhibits the sort of character you don't find often in a $15 wine.


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STEPPING STONE BY CORNERSTONE ROSE 2010

We have tasted and written about the Stepping Stone Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc Cuvée Musqué from Napa Valley's Cornerstone Cellars.  Both are great wines for warm weather sipping.  The winery also provided their rosé for our perusal.

Winemaker Jeff Keene did a fine job on the two under-$20-whites we tried, and his efforts with the pink produced similar results.

The Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé is made of Napa Valley Syrah, carries a very moderate 13.9% abv number and retails for $18.  Cornerstone says the name "Corallina" is Italian for "coral," which is a pretty fair description of the color of this wine.

A beautiful nose of strawberry fruit and Pez candy sails along on an herbal undercurrent.  There's no cloying sweetness here, not even close.  It's bone dry with a zing of acidity right off the bat.  The slightest trace of white pepper gives way to a beautiful layer of cherry and strawberry flavors overlayed with minerals.  This wine will be welcome on the deck all summer, and on the lunch table any time of year.



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STEPPING STONE BY CORNERSTONE NAPA VALLEY RIESLING 2010

Napa Valley’s Cornerstone Cellars is known for their high-end Cabernet Sauvignon wines.  These are wines mainly destined for the cellar, to be aged and enjoyed at some future date.  We all want a wine to drink right now, though - with dinner tonight - and to that end, Cornerstone produces a line of everyday wines, made and priced to be enjoyed as soon you get them home.  They carry the Stepping Stone label.

Cornerstone was kind enough to provide me with three of their Stepping Stone wines for review, two whites and a rosé.  The trio retail for $18 each.  Stepping Stone also offers a Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Today we'll find out about the Stepping Stone Napa Valley Riesling.

Winemaker Jeff Keene has done a great job with this Riesling, made the Alsatian style.  The wine carries an alcohol level of 13.5% abv and has a pale, straw color.

The Stepping Stone Riesling's nose is simply beautiful.  Soft aromas of flowers and honeydew are met with an equally soft sense of minerals for a bouquet with all the sharp edges removed.  So gentle are the aromas I was somewhat surprised to find that the wine is fermented and aged completely in stainless steel.  Despite the label designation, the grapes actually come from the cool-climate Carneros AVA.

The palate shows lovely citrus flavors - lime and some orange zest - and a fine minerality that rides on an acidity which would be just fine with a piece of fish, crackers and a soft cheese or even a handful of walnuts.  It's a dry, crisp expression of Riesling and the finish is of medium length and really lets the acidity shine.

We'll cover the Stepping Stone Sauvignon Blanc Cuvée Musqué and their dry rosé  tomorrow and next week on Now And Zin.


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