Cabernet Sauvignon Beatty Ranch, Cornerstone 1991

These two elegantly packaged Cabernet Sauvignons have managed to avoid the tough, astringent tannin of the Howell Mountain appellation. They are elegant, pure, rich expressions of Cabernet that are accessible enough to be drink now, but their concentration and structure suggest they will age for 10-15 years. I had a slight preference for the 1992, with its sweeter, riper fruit and expansive chewiness, as opposed to the more tannic 1991. Both wines exhibit impressive deep ruby/purple colors, and pure noses of cassis intermingled with scents of toasty new oak. Both are medium to full-bodied, admirably concentrated, and well-made. Cornerstone Cellars appears to be a promising newcomer to the California Cabernet Sauvignon scene.