14.6% ABV
Cabernet Sauvignon
Coombsville, Napa Valley
Paul Hobbs may be a degreed chemist. But more importantly, he is a man of the land.
Hobbs grew up one of 11 children on the family orchard in upstate New York, learning the importance of planting, cultivating, and selling his harvest.
In a discovery that would define his career, he found that the same type of apple planted in different orchards yielded fruits of different tastes and textures. Lessons from the orchard developed into a belief and approach that a wine should be a true reflection of its site, the terroir.
With a chemistry degree from Notre Dame, Hobbs earned his master’s degree in viticulture and enology from the University of California Davis.
Robert Mondavi selected him to join the nascent Opus One team that produced the legendary Napa Valley Red. He worked at Simi Winery before consulting with several estates, including Bodegas Catena in Argentina.
In 1991, Paul Hobbs Winery launched when Hobbs bought 10,000 pounds of chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon grapes from Napa and Sonoma for his debut wines.
In 1998, Hobbs began to realize his goal of making site-specific wine by acquiring the Katherine Lindsay Estate, a vineyard producing pinot noir in the Russian River Valley. Since then, he has added seven more estates in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Coombsville.
Hobbs is now owner and vintner for eight wineries around the world. Over his 40-year career, Hobbs’ wines have received ten 100-point ratings.
Pairing by: Erik Calviño
Tasting Notes: 2018 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon
Presents a deep ruby color in the glass with an ink-like density that hints at the full body of this Napa cabernet sauvignon well before you taste it. The aromas are intense and inviting with notes of blueberry, lavender, and a touch of tobacco. On the palate, the wine is elegant and layered with currant, fig, blueberry, oak, and a touch of minerality. An exceptional example of cabernet sauvignon.
Cigar Pairing: Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series
The Padrón delivers an abundance of thick and highly aromatic smoke with a medium-bodied profile of dark chocolate, earth, and smooth pepper. The cabernet’s dark fruits inject notes of cassis, blueberry, and blackberry seamlessly into the smoke, giving every puff a flavor akin to a German chocolate cake. Space out your sips after the puff and take multiple sips to let the wine return to its full fruit flavor before each puff.
Plus One: Black Cordon Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
David Dunphy first visited Napa Valley in 1978, spurred by the Judgement of Paris. With wife Karen, he emigrated from Minnesota and released their first vintage in 2007, working with Paul Hobbs and Julian Gonzalez. Their Black Cordon Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon grapes come from their four mountain vineyards. The wine is aged for two years, then selected and blended by Hobbs and Gonzalez.
