2019 Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Another excellent offering from Paul Hobbs, this wine comes loaded with cassis, boysenberry, and tobacco leaf aromas, and notes of thyme and clove. xThe Wine Advocate says "Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley features vibrant notions of crushed wild blueberries, black cherries and cassis with touches of cigar box, black tea and wild sage. Medium to full-bodied with a full frame of ripe, grainy tannins, it has seamless freshness laced through the energetic fruit, finishing long and juicy.
The name Paul Hobbs is synonymous with fine California winemaking. Born into a farming family in New York, Paul borrowed early life experience to reinvent modern winemaking by employing a classical approach that pays the utmost attention to quality farming and treating the fruit minimally so that it can convey a true sense of place. While his uncanny ability to ferret out unique and expressive vineyards and undiscovered regions has only enhanced his reputation, a resume that includes winemaking stints at Opus One and Simi, as well as consulting projects with Peter Michael, Fisher Vineyards and Lewis has helped position himself as one of California's best guiding hands in the cellar. All the wine projects lucky enough to be associated with Paul Hobbs are farmed sustainably. Furthermore, crop yields are kept low to boost flavor intensity, grapes are sorted by hand, juice is turned to wine with the aid of native yeasts and the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Paul's reach spans far and wide, with his own wineries Paul Hobbs and CrossBarn in California, and Viña Cobos in Argentina. Word on the street is that he's even got his hands on grapes from Chile, Uruguay, France and Armenia. He's got us wondering, what will this globetrotting winemaker do next?
James Suckling
Blueberries, purple fruit and lavender. Crushed stones and raspberries, too. Medium-bodied and so fresh and vivid, with creamy tannins and a really long finish. Touch of vanilla. Just delicious. .
Vinous
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is packed with juicy dark berry fruit, mocha, chocolate and spice. This supple, racy Cabernet is another terrific wine from Crossbarn. The Napa Cabernet is quite a bit more plush and opulent than the Sonoma bottling, but both are terrific. Best After 2021.
Jeb Dunnuck
A value-priced, entry level wine from the talents of Paul Hobbs, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon sports a vivid purple hue as well as rock-solid notes of red and black currants, candied violets, incense, and tobacco. Beautifully textured and medium to full-bodied, with velvety tannins, it has a classic, round, sexy 2019 style that's already a joy to drink. Nevertheless, it's going to deliver the goods for at least 7-8 years. It's going to be up there with some of the top values in Napa Valley Cabernet.
Wine Spectator
A nice, extroverted wine, with a bright beam of raspberry and red currant pâte de fruit driving through, laced with energetic anise, bramble and apple wood notes along the way. Juicy energy carries through the finish.
Wine Advocate
Almost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon from valley-floor sites, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley offers up scents of raspberries and cherries, plus hints of pencil shavings and crushed herbs. It's medium to full-bodied, with a smooth, silky feel and some dusty tannins on the finish. Easy and approachable but structured enough to pare with rare beef or lamb, it's a good example of what can still be achieved in Napa at a reasonable price.