2013 Paul Hobbs "Nathan Coombs Estate" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

A tight and intense wine with blueberry, asphalt and tar aromas and flavors. Powerful and amazing depth and structure. Great fruit and balance. Pencil shavings. Bright fruit and stones. Remains subtle and great. A hint of cabernet franc and petit verdot. (1/2016)

Vivid and utterly captivating, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate Vineyard is also a wonderfully complete wine that brings together aromatic complexity, unctuous fruit and powerful structure, all signatures of this great Napa Valley vintage. Today, the 2013 is even better than it was from bottle. Drops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot round out the blend in a wine that captures the very best of site and year. Paul Hobbs fans will want to take note of a few changes in the lineup. Hobbs has decided to eliminate the Stagecoach Cabernet from his range, which is not entirely surprising given the recent acquisition of the Nathan Coombs Vineyard, a site that produces Cabernets in a similar vein. The last few vintages from Coombs are super-impressive, to say the least. Two thousand thirteen is also the last vintage of the Hyde Vineyard Cabernet, as that parcel need to be replanted. Overall, the 2013s are big, towering Cabernets, very much in the style of the year, while the 2014s are more aromatically precise and linear. Hobbs and his long-time winemaker Megan Baccitich add that yields were slightly higher across the board in 2014 than they were in 2013. (AG) (10/2015)

From their own estate, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate has a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in the blend. This is a beauty with loads of minerality, almost liquefied rock-like character, and plenty of spicy red and black currants moving toward blueberry and blackberry. It is rich, shows some licorice, a layered texture and a long, long finish. This is another 20 to 30-year wine, as are all of these 2013s. Paul Hobbs has emerged as one of the great success stories in Northern California. He’s an international consultant known for his outstanding work in Argentina. He is also now involved in a joint venture in the Finger Lakes region of New York, so hopefully we can anticipate some interesting Rieslings and possibly Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc and even Gewurztraminer emerging from New York State. I had an extensive tasting with Hobbs at his winery in late January, and the results were all impressive. The tastings reflect the fact that, for Chardonnay, both 2013 and 2014 are brilliant vintages, and for Pinot Noir, 2014 may possibly eclipse 2013. As for the Bordeaux varietals, there’s no question that 2013 is the game-changer, as I indicated in previous reports, but 2014 is delicious and another top-notch success. (RP) (3/2016)