Paul Hobbs, Crossbarn Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, USA, 2020

Producer Profile

Raised on a farm on the east coast of the United States, Paul Hobbs grew up in a teetotal 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 that he is a driven perfectionist whose hard work has paid off with numerous 100-point scores from the critics. However, to stop there would be to do Paul an injustice. Notwithstanding his mainstream winemaking training at UC Davis, Paul was an early advocate of low intervention methods. Since the late 1980s, long before it was popular, Paul was using wild yeast to ferment, and organic vineyard management techniques to get the best from his vines and protect the land. Like his wines, he is a complicated, multi-layered man. Yet across all his ranges, there is an elegance and lightness of touch that reminds you there is a truly talented winemaker at work here.

Viticulture

Produced using hand-harvested fruit from carefully selected vineyards within the Sonoma Coast appellation, Crossbarn Pinot Noir offers structure and complexity in balance with pure, concentrated fruit.

Winemaking

Hand-harvested at night; comprised of 7 AVAs within the Sonoma Coast; 10% whole cluster includion; native yeast fermentations; aged 9 months on the lees in 5% new French oak barrels; minimal SO2 additions; bottled unfined.

Tasting Note

Bright ruby in colour and scented with inviting notes of bergamot, fresh blueberry, and red clay combine with invigorating acidity as it evolves across the palate, ending with the power and grace that’s in character with its coastal influences.

Food Matching

Grilled pizza with sausage and mushrooms, bucatinia alla ' Amatriciana, five spice braised pork shoulder.