Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
Something Old, Something New
2018 Sparkling Wine
Los Carneros
Auction 24 | Lot No. 184
Vintage: 2018
Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
Something Old, Something New
Sparkling Wine
Los Carneros
5 cases produced
Highlights
- Rare bottling of the 2018 vintage, a stunning wine assembled and blended from four different cuvées
- One-of-a-kind dosage: sparkling wines dating back to the ’70s, from Hanns Kornell’s eponymous winery just for this Premiere Napa Valley wine
- 42% Pinot Noir and 58% Chardonnay, sourced from Mitsuko’s Vineyard in the cool Los Carneros nested appellation
- Brings full circle the legacy of the Kornells and Napa Valley sparkling wines, made using méthode champenoise
Description
Paula Kornell’s second vintage is a combination of the new and the old — quite literally. Paula’s father Hanns was a true pioneer, the first to make sparkling wine in California using the traditional method, and now Paula follows in his footsteps. This special, one-off bottling is based on the 2018 Napa Valley Blanc de Noir but, disgorged exclusively for Premiere Napa Valley 2020, it also received its dosage from aged sparkling wines (up to 50 years old) uncovered in Hanns’s cellar. The wine itself is made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, sourced from Mitsuko’s Vineyard in Los Carneros, the coolest nested appellation in Napa Valley, giving finesse, elegance and sophistication to the aromas of green apples, succulent pears, freshly baked pastry and brioche. The addition of the historic wines to the blend adds depth and complexity, toasting a rich history and building on Paula’s family legacy of crafting the finest sparkling wines.
Robin Akhurst
Winemaker, Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
A native of Scotland, Robin Akhurst’s winemaking career took him around the globe before arriving in Napa Valley, where he has been learning the ins and outs of California’s terroir since 2009. He’s now Director of Winemaking for Napa and Sonoma for Vintage Wine Estates, which includes overseeing the winemaking for Clos Pegase, Swanson Vineyards, and his own brands, Apsara Cellars and Library Collection Wines.
Robin’s passion for wine began in restaurants, first working as a sommelier in Edinburgh, then to retail, working for one of London’s leading independent wine merchants. While he expanded his palate and gained a good sense for what to look for in quality wine, his thirst for knowledge also grew. Motivated by the desire to learn all aspects of production, Robin moved to New Zealand where he earned a Post Graduate degree in Viticulture and Enology from Lincoln University in Christchurch. After working harvests in Languedoc, Marlborough, Burgundy, and the Barossa Valley, he landed in the Napa Valley.
Robin’s tenure in California has fostered an invaluable education in grape growing and winemaking, rooted in the search of balance and crafting wines that are true to the site, vineyard, and culture. Today, he takes on the exciting new challenge of sparkling wine production with Paula Kornell – his first opportunity to produce the style of wine he’s always adored drinking.
When he’s not walking vineyards or in the cellar with his energetic golden retriever Knox, whose “selective hearing” can sometimes get him into trouble, Robin is with his wife Aneeta and daughter Zahra, seeking out racetracks on his motorcycle, or nurturing his musical side through dutiful practice – though perhaps less so during harvest – on his guitar.
Country born: Scotland
Years in the wine industry: 15-20 years
Winery Distribution
Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine Contact: Paula Kornell
International:
- Canada - Ontario ( A case for Wine )
- Denmark ( American Wine )
- Puerto Rico ( Ambrosia )
- Switzerland ( Napa Wine )
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