Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
Marilouise
2020 Sparkling Wine
Los Carneros
Auction 27 | Lot No. 95
Vintage: 2020
Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
Marilouise
Sparkling Wine
Los Carneros
5 cases produced
Highlights
- Paula Kornell’s mother, Marilouise, was affectionately referred to as the “Queen”
- 100% Chardonnay from one block from Mitsuko’s Vineyard in the Los Carneros nested appellation, where Chardonnay is queen
- Chardonnay is acknowledged as the beauty behind Blanc de Blancs
- This wine is a first of its kind for Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
Description
Fourth-generation sparkling wine producer Paula Kornell’s mother, Marilouise Rossini, was a Swiss-Italian whose family homesteaded in St. Helena. Paula grew up in the family winery, Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars, which was founded in 1958 by her father, a German immigrant with a generational history of winemaking in his family. Hanns was the first to use méthode champenoise in Napa Valley. Marilouise was always the consummate hostess, welcoming friends from near and far into the family home to enjoy great food, great wine and great company. Paula continues her family’s traditions, paying homage to her mother specifically here with Blanc de Blancs made from one special block in Mitsuko’s Vineyard in the Los Carneros nested appellation. This wine is still sitting sur lie and is appropriately named for the “Queen”—Paula’s mother, Marilouise Kornell.
Wine Facts
- Single vineyard wine
- Sustainably produced
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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