Paul Hobbs, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, USA, 2018

Producer Profile

Raised on a farm on the east coast of the United States, Paul Hobbs grew up in a tee-total household but this did not stop his first taste of wine being Chateau d'Yquem. It is tempting to say 'and the rest is history' and leave it at that, but there is so much more to this man.

Paul came to winemaking via studying to be a doctor and this scientific background and attention to detail has helped hone his approach to crafting wonderfully precise, complex wines in California, and around the world. He has famously been called the 'Steve Jobs' of wine by Forbes magazine and it is clear he is a driven perfectionist whose hard work has paid off with numerous 100 points scores from the critics. However, to stop there would do Paul an injustice. Notwithstanding his mainstream winemaking training at UC Davis, Paul is an advocate of low intervention methods.

Viticulture

This stately Cabernet Sauvignon derives great depth from the diverse terroirs of its pedigree vineyards, including Nathan Coombs Estate, State Lane, Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, Beckstoffer Las Piedras, Wombats and Flat Rock.

Winemaking

Hand-harvested at night, sorted whilst still cold and fermented in small, closed top stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts, 5 day cold soak, 28 day total maceration, gentle pumpovers and délestage, spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrels, bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Oak Ageing

Time: 20 months
Type: French
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 64

Tasting Note

Paul Hobbs are now proud to carry the Coombsville appellation on the label after becoming a pillar of our Cabernet sourcing in Napa Valley. This inaugural release presents a deep ruby with violet highlights and scents of wild blueberry, dried lavender, and mocha. A beautiful entry envelops the palate and features generous layers of red currant, black fig, and subtle notes of fresh sage and leather. Fresh acidity wraps around fine-grained tannins providing tension towards the finish, revealing a crushed rock minerality that confers the region’s inherent rocky soils.

Food Matching

Lovely with aged goat milk cheese and jamón ibérico or classic beef bourguignon.