Paula Kornell, Napa Valley (California) 2020

 This enticing wine is made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes grown in Mitsuko’s Vineyard in the cool-climate Carneros region.  It has a pale yellow color and vigorous, very tiny bubbles streaming to the surface.  It offers juicy Meyer lemon and apple flavors and crisp, mouthwatering acidity that provide a long, lingering finish.  The Kornell family has a long history in Napa Valley, beginning when German born Hanns Kornell bought the Larkmead Estate in Napa Valley and founded the Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars in 1958.  His daughter, Paula, began to work at the winery in 1982 when several large Champagne companies were arriving in the valley creating major competition for the Kornells.  They closed the doors in 1992.  Hanns Kornell died in 1994.  After several years of working for wineries and serving on trade and community boards, she launched the Kornell Wine Company offering wine consulting.  In 2019 she opened Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine.  Today, Scotland native Robin Akhurst is the winemaker.