Correlation Wine Company

Robert Parker says:
“It goes without saying that Napa Valley is a trove of exquisite estate wines—wines that reflect the unique character of a producer’s very specific part of the valley or the mountains flanking it. Collectors can settle on the estate vineyards they especially love and fill their cellars with bottles they know will deliver on that familiar enjoyment every time.

For the more adventurous, there’s another approach: relying on a trusted winemaker who searches out multiple great sites to make a diverse portfolio of wines. And when that winemaker has already been making stellar estate wines, it’s a pretty good bet that the bottles they craft from vineyards beyond the estate will be terrific too.

Wesley Steffens’ new Correlation Wine Company—launched in 2017 with his wife, Jess—is just such an adventure. A winemaker alongside Martha McClellan at the family’s Vineyard 7 & 8 estate (founded by his parents in 1999 high atop Spring Mountain) who received high praise from the critics and loyalty from mailing list members, Steffens was ready to work with vineyards and growers throughout the valley and to play with other varieties and other appellations. “By launching Correlation Wine Company outside of Vineyard 7 & 8, I am able to honor the wines that come from my family’s vineyard but also honor and support relationships well beyond just one property, with a brand that can tell multiple stories.”

“The relationships Steffens brings to the table were forged along a unique journey of working in both food and wine in the valley at the likes of The French Laundry and Harlan and BOND estates. They are the starting point for the very definition of the name he gave his new brand. “A correlation is a mutual relationship between two or more things,” he explains. “This can be the people involved, the different places the fruit comes from, the varietals, the process by which a great bottle is made, even how that bottle of wine is enjoyed.” With that thought, Correlation Wine Company is Steffens’ celebration of what Napa Valley and wine are all about."

“Steffens’ goal with these wines is to always over-deliver on a reasonable and approachable price point ($85 for the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon). His audience? “It’s for the collector of Vineyard 7 & 8—a wine they may enjoy sooner upon release” (although he’s quick to point out that a Correlation Cab still has plenty of structure and integrity to age gracefully). “But it’s also for the newer, younger generation just beginning to learn about the art of collecting fine wine and beginning to build cellars of their own.”

The Wines

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Winemaker’s Comments:
The 2015 Correlation Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. The fruit is sourced from two estate vineyards farmed on top of Spring Mountain, as well as the Beckstoffer Melrose Vineyard in Rutherford.

While production was down from its inaugural vintage, the 2015 is certainly not lacking in power or structure. Beautiful, focused aromatics cause this beauty to jump out of the glass. Notes of red cherry and sweet and savory five spice emerge, heightened by a vibrancy and focus that cause you to continue to peel layers. Signature mountain tannins that are well integrated meet a multi-layered and seamless mid-palate. The finish continues to deliver long after your last taste. Winemaker Martha McClellan and Wesley Steffens continue to collaborate on the crafting of this wine.

2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Atlas Peak, Napa Valley

Winemaker’s Comments:
The 2017 Correlation Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc makes its debut as the newest wine to join our portfolio of wines. Sourced from within the Atlas Peak Appellation in Southeast Napa Valley, this wine is crafted from the Sauvignon Blanc Musqué clone; a clone known for its aromatic profile. A very elegant, bright and fresh nose featuring notes of pink grapefruit, Anjou pear, white honeysuckle blossoms, and white pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate explodes with a lively freshness, focused with kiwi, green papaya and stone fruits, finishing with an elegant, crisp minerality, and seamless texture. The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in one time use French oak barrels, and aged for six-months prior to bottling. This wine will show very well upon release, yet has a wonderful structure and balance that will allow it to age gracefully.

2017 Rosé Wine, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley

Winemaker’s Comments:
The 2017 Correlation Wine Company Rosé follows the strong debut with the inaugural vintage last year, and does not fail to deliver a beautiful wine once again. While production is down quite a bit, bottling just over 100 cases, the saignée rosé was crafted by fermenting a selection of the very best juice from the same vineyards as our Cabernet blend. Just like our first rosé effort, led by Winemaker Martha McClellan, focused on crafting a beautiful pale color rosé packed with lots of strawberry and black raspberry liqueur, balanced by bright minerality, crushed rocks and delicate flowers. Barrel fermented and aged 6-months in neutral French oak barrels, which imparts a round and creamy mouthfeel, this is once again a perfect companion for your summer gatherings!

The Offer

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - $85

2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Atlas Peak, Napa Valley - $35

2017 Rosé Wine, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley - $28

Jeff McCarthy, Wine Director 
[email protected]
707.569.2906