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March 18, 2026
Chris Corley Wines | Red Wine ‘Middle C’

When I was young, my mom made me take piano lessons. I didn’t really like it, but she reminded me every week that some day I would thank her. I disagreed, but went along with the lessons anyway. Later in high school, those piano lessons faded, I got more interested in the electric bass and drums, and we put together a few really great bands back then, and had a lot of fun playing shows around Northern California.

When Julianna and I got married and moved into our first house together, my mom scheduled a housewarming gift for us. A big truck showed up, and in the back was the piano that I had taken lessons on many years earlier. I didn’t even know it had been in storage that whole time! I hadn’t played the piano for many years, and it took a few tuning cycles to get it back in shape, but it sounded great once we did! Great action and weight on the keys. Like they say about riding a bike, it all came back pretty quickly.

And, in the end, my mom was right, I did thank her ‘some day’! Playing the piano is one of my great joys now, I play whenever I can. The crossover between musicmaking and winemaking has been fascinating to explore, and an inspiration for our new red blend ‘Middle C’. An exploration of blending tones, and exploring sharps and flats, and black and white keys, looking for the hooks where the magic happens.


Middle C is bottled in the Chris Corley ‘Family Reserve’ premium tier of wines. It’s a delicious and well balanced blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, all grown on one of our family’s estate vineyards in the southern end of Napa Valley. The cool afternoon breezes keep the acidity in balance, even when the grapes are fully ripe.

For you, this means a ripe, medium-bodied wine with a rich mouthfeel, a hint of oak, and a nice beam of acidity that allows this wine a lot of flexibility in pairing with a wide range of dishes, either at home or when out to dinner.

Purchase >> Chris Corley 'Middle C' Red Wine

 

 
March 17, 2026
CHRIS CORLEY WINES | Napa Valley
S54 E12 | Listening To The Wine

🎶 Music has been an important part of my life, both listening and playing. When I was younger, I played bass in a few bands, mostly punk and metal, terrific raw energy. Playing speed metal on a fretless jazz bass created some wild sounds!

🎹 It's the piano though that has been my lifelong companion, and I thank our mom for insisting on the dreaded piano lessons as a kid. Turns out it was the best gift I ever received!

🍷Inside my mind, there are a lot of beautiful connections between wine and music. Assembling a wine blend is similar to composing a song … every barrel a note, assembled into chords, then measures, with melodies and rhythm, sharps and flats.

Synesthesia | Listening With Minds Eye
⚖️ The deep bass tones at the lower end of the keyboard are like the resonant foundational varietals in a blend, while the upper keys dance in my mind like the hints of bright notes from a touch of bright, spicy varietals. With wine, balance is key … although with music, creative imbalance is fascinating to explore … sharps, flats, dissonance, time signatures.

💡I've always had two inner sanctums … the blending table and the piano, I feel equally at peace in both places … and draw inspiration between the two, in both directions. Combining these two inner sanctums is the focus of the auction lot I've assembled for Napa Vintners 'Premiere Napa Valley' Auction.

🎧 Stay tuned as we explore the wonderful synesthesia of wine and music over the next few months leading up to the Napa Vintners Premiere Napa Valley annual wine trade auction!

Chris Corley Wines
Premiere Napa Valley
Auction Lot # 28
Middle C | 'Family Reserve' Red Wine

Premiere Napa Valley
www.premierenapavalley.com

Napa Valley Vintners
www.napavintners.com

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