2014 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate
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Tasting notes
Hobbs bought the vineyard of 67 acres (27 ha) in December 2012. Nathan Coombs is credited with founding Napa city. Tiny amount of Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Site planted in 1990s by that big California pension fund that had to sell off its vineyards eventually. ‘They built beautiful vineyards – high density and great infrastructure – but weren’t good at selling grapes’, according to Hobbs. They planted Merlot just before Sideways came out. They sold off their last property by auction. Hobbs reckons he was lucky because most people didn’t understand Coombsville properly at that stage (‘like Beckstoffer’s purchase of To Kalon’). The diurnal shift is good and the wine never needs acid, according to Hobbs. Usually picked in October and has ‘the best-balanced musts I’ve worked with in my career. Even To Kalon will need a small acid addition’. Deep crimson. Perfumed. Gentle, unforced, very ripe but with good freshness thanks to the site. In fact once I revisited a glass of this wine the acidity actually dominated the fruit. (JR)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate is on another level. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a site in Coombsville which is a cooler terroir in the southern part of the Valley and spent 20 months in all new French oak. Sporting an inky purple/blue color and incredible notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, damp earth and leafy herbs, it incredibly concentrated, opulent and decadent, yet always balanced and pure. It's a real “Wow” wine that's going to knock your socks off over the coming 2-3 decades.
Having tasted this wine since the inaugural 2012 vintage, one of the aspects I most love about this vineyard is how clearly it stands stylistically apart from Paul Hobbs' St. Helena and Oakville single-vineyard wines—with red fruits entering the mélange, this incredible energy plus a very particular tannin texture—and yet the quality is right up there on the same par. Containing a dollop (2%) of Cabernet Franc, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate has a deep garnet-purple color and a vibrant nose of red currant and red plum compote, blackberry preserves and mulberries with underlying suggestions of garrigue, Mediterranean herbs, damp earth, lavender and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the tannins on this wine are oh-so-finely pixelated, with a refreshing backbone cutting through the intense flavor layers, finishing with an invigorating lift. I could sit down and drink this right now, but it promises much more to come with 10-15 years cellaring and should hold considerably longer.
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate Vineyard is the most dynamic and intense of these wines. Stylistically, the Nathan Coombs is most similar to the Piedras in its tannic and structural profile. A rush of dark red cherry and pomegranate punctuate the vibrant finish. I very much like the sense of energy here. I will not be surprised if, over time, the Nathan Coombs becomes the top Cabernet for Paul Hobbs, as it is the only estate vineyard in the range, and being in control of all aspects of production is increasingly critical for winemakers who strive to be at the very top.
About the producer
Paul Hobbs is one of California wine’s biggest names. Twice named Wine Personality of the Year by Robert Parker, he joined Robert Mondavi in 1977, worked at Opus One and Simi before setting up his eponymous winery in 1991.