With tenacity and determination, Cathy Corison has forged a life of wine that has spanned three decades. She discovered her passion for wine while pursuing a bachelor's degree in biology at Pomona College in Claremont, California and went on to complete a master’s degree in Enology from the University of California, Davis in the mid-1970s. She gained extensive experience from her work at Chappellet Vineyard, Staglin Family Vineyard, York Creek Vineyards, and Long Meadow Ranch, where she was constantly honing her skills. These experiences left her eager to express her own winemaking voice.

In 1987 she made the first vintage of Corison Cabernet Sauvignon. Corison winery’s grapes are farmed organically and grown on gravelly loam soils. Cathy describes her winemaking techniques as very traditional, using only small French oak barrels sourced from several forests for complexity. She currently handcrafts two Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons.

In recognition of her excellence as a winemaker, Cathy was named the 2011 Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle, and in 2022, Corison Winery was named one of the “Top 100 Wineries” in the world by Wine and Spirits Magazine.

Although it’s Cathy’s name on the label, Corison is a family winery. Her husband, William Martin, designed the barn, keeps all the equipment humming, does the books and accounting, and keeps the computers online. They are the proud parents of two daughters.

The images on the Corison label are inspired by old-life symbols, one based on rain and the other on a sprouting seed. Cathy is guided by her belief that winemaking and wine appreciation are timeless, creative celebrations of life.