Paul Hobbs, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2019

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

Since the inaugural release last year, this wine has quickly become one of the most compelling in the Paul Hobbs portfolio. Offering a gorgeous deep purple hue, this captivates with a bouquet of crushed blueberry, summer savoury spice, and a delicate tobacco leaf note. The palate is remarkably balanced with well-integrated tannins and fresh acidity that wraps around boysenberry and black fig along subtle notes of rosemary and a crush rock minerality, which lends tension through the long finish.

Food Matching

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