Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon
In Napa Valley, some of the most compelling wines come not from sprawling estates but from small, vineyard-focused producers who carefully source fruit from exceptional sites. One such winery is Cornerstone Cellars, a small Napa Valley label known for crafting limited-production wines from prestigious vineyard locations.
Cornerstone Cellars was founded in 1991 by two Memphis physicians, Michael Dragutsky and gastroenterologist David Sloas (incidentally both are still practicing medicine). From its earliest vintages, the winery emphasized Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties, reflecting Napa Valley’s reputation for world-class Cabernet. Until 2024, the winery was owned by Michael and his wife Beni along with several investors from the Memphis area. In 2024 Cornerstone was sold to Assemblage Retail Group, owned by Third Leaf.
Over the years, Cornerstone expanded its sourcing partnerships to include vineyards in several top Napa appellations, including Howell Mountain, Rutherford, Calistoga, and Oakville. The winery has also produced Pinot Noir from the Santa Rita Hills and other cool-climate regions, but Cabernet Sauvignon remains its flagship focus.
Today, the winery continues to operate as a boutique producer, crafting wines in relatively small quantities. This approach allows the winemaking team to emphasize vineyard expression and balance rather than mass production.
The Winemaker
Celia Welch made the wines of Cornerstone Cellars from 2000 through 2007. In 2015, her assistant, Kari Auringer returned to the winery and was named winemaker. Auringer has spent decades working with premium Napa vineyards and is particularly skilled at translating site characteristics into polished, age-worthy wines. She believes that great Cabernet begins in the vineyard, not the cellar. Her philosophy emphasizes careful vineyard selection, precise harvesting decisions, a restrained oak influence, and a balance between richness and structure.
The vineyard
The Oakville Station Vineyard is one of Napa Valley’s more unusual properties. Unlike most vineyards in the region, it is operated by UC Davis as a research and teaching vineyard, providing a real-world laboratory for viticulture studies.
Located on the western side of Oakville at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, the vineyard sits in the heart of one of Napa Valley’s most prestigious Cabernet regions. Nearby vineyards include some of Napa’s most celebrated sites, including To Kalon, and historically the area has been associated with legendary Cabernet producers like Heitz and Screaming Eagle.
The soils at Oakville Station consist largely of well-drained gravel and sandy loam, ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. These soils force vines to dig deep for water and nutrients, naturally limiting yields and producing grapes with concentrated flavors and firm tannin structure.
The vineyard also benefits from Oakville’s warm daytime temperatures paired with cooling evening breezes descending from the Mayacamas foothills. This climate encourages slow, even ripening, preserving acidity while allowing the grapes to reach full phenolic maturity.
Cornerstone Cellars Oakville Station Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
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