2021 Paul Hobbs, Cristina's Signature, Nathan Coombs Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Coombsville, Napa Valley, USA
Critics reviews
The aromatics are closed at first, so give this time, allowing the savoury cassis, blueberry, squid ink and saline character to emerge. A joy to taste, and captures the feel of a Cabernet Sauvignon that intends to make you wait, not playing all its cards yet. As it opens, a floral character appears, along with briar patch, hedgerow, full of energy and lift, with great balance. First time on the Place for Paul Hobbs' 29ha Coombsville estate, 45% new oak, a vineyard he bought in 2012. 3.6ph. Tasted twice.
Drink 2026 - 2042
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (May 2024)
A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Merlot. Grapes were hand-sorted and fermented with native yeasts. Maceration lasted 27 days, with pump-overs and délestage. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred in barrel. Aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. Bottled, unfined, and unfiltered. Profound iron stone mineral aromatics lift out of the glass, along with black cherry, plums, and rich cedarwood and dark chocolate notes. Medium-bodied with pronounced, structured tannins, juicy raspberry and plum fruits, herbs, and citrus peel. It has the quality of a beautifully composed claret that has the bones to cellar for the long term.
Drink 2024 - 2050
Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter (June 2024)
About this WINE
Paul Hobbs Winery
Napa Valley
North Coast's Napa Valley is California's most famous viticultural area (AVA), claiming some of the most expensive agricultural land in the world and producing wines of ‘cult’ status.
Its 16,000 ha of vines lie over a strip (40 miles long-5 miles wide) of diverse soils (clay, gravely, volcanic), with its northernmost end on the side of Mountain Helena and its foot in San Francisco Bay. The valley is framed by two mountains ranges Vaca (to the north) and Mayacamas (to the south), yet the main climatic influence is the cool wind and fog that is sucked in from San Pablo Bay during the afternoon, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and evenly.
The area enjoys a variety of unique microclimates, as temperatures can vary dramatically as much as 15 degrees, from the north to the south end of the valley. These differences have led to the creation of several sub-AVAs (14 in total) including:
Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley District, Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Los Carneros, Mt. Veeder, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Spring Mountain District, Stags Leap District, Yountville, Wild Horse Valley and Oak Knoll District. The Calistoga AVA is still pending approval.
Both the “Napa Valley” designation and the sub-AVA name must appear on the wine label simultaneously, with the exception of wines from the Carneros AVA, which is shared between the Napa Valley and the Sonoma County.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the undisputed king of Napa grapes, occupying over 45% of the vineyard acreage, followed by (predominantly) Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cab. Franc and to a lesser extent Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Barbera, Dolcetto.
Recommended Producers
Frog's Leap, Dominus, David Ramey, Viader, Stag's Leap Cellars, Paras Vineyards, Heitz.
Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia.
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Description
The aromatics are closed at first, so give this time, allowing the savoury cassis, blueberry, squid ink and saline character to emerge. A joy to taste, and captures the feel of a Cabernet Sauvignon that intends to make you wait, not playing all its cards yet. As it opens, a floral character appears, along with briar patch, hedgerow, full of energy and lift, with great balance. First time on the Place for Paul Hobbs' 29ha Coombsville estate, 45% new oak, a vineyard he bought in 2012. 3.6ph. Tasted twice.
Drink 2026 - 2042
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (May 2024)
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