2010 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Saturated full ruby. Bright aromas of cassis, black cherry, menthol and mocha are complicated by subtle soil and spice tones. Wonderfully plush, seamless wine with terrific inner-mouth energy, clarity and peppery grip to its flavors of dark fruits, minerals, flowers and spices. The gripping tannins still need time to be absorbed. This highly complex, very long wine is quite claret-like in its refined grain, density without weight, savory character and finishing lift. Hobbs told me that 2010 is not a growing season that he remembers fondly, noting "the wrestle we had to do with the grapes due to lots of cool weather." This was his only vintage of To Kalon that did not need any acidification, but he added that both the 2000 and 1999 vintages required very little. He describes this wine as Barishnikov-like, while the '09, a wine that he also calls one of his favorite vintages, is a bit chunkier, "like a linebacker." From a fairly small crop of 2.8 tons per acre. (15% alcohol; 3.78 pH; 6.1 g/l acidity)
Critic scores
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Opaque purple. Drop-dead aromas of black and blue fruits, sandalwood, vanilla and floral pastilles, with woodsmoke and anise qualities building with air. Deeply pitched blueberry and dark cherry flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity and a hint of cracked pepper. Sweet and seamless on the finish, which seems to go on forever. Rich but showing unlikely elegance and precision; this one is built for the long haul. (JR)
A much darker and more virile wine, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard opens with beguiling aromatics that meld into a core of blue and black fruit, exotic spices, tar, smoke and violets. The 2010 boasts superb depth, power and richness in a weighty, brooding style that is the essence of To Kalon. A huge, intense finish rounds things out in style.
A much darker and more virile wine, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard opens with beguiling aromatics that meld into a core of blue and black fruit, exotic spices, tar, smoke and violets. The 2010 boasts superb depth, power and richness in a weighty, brooding style that is the essence of To Kalon. A huge, intense finish rounds things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2032. (Not yet released) One of the greatest attributes of the Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignons is their ability to deliver incredible pleasure throughout their entire lives. I tasted a wide range of wines this year with Paul Hobbs and winemaker Megan Baccitich, including several past vintages of the flagship To Kalon, which confirmed that view. In particular, the 2001 and 2002 To Kalon Cabernets remain stunning, and the straight 1999 Napa Valley Cabernet was equally impressive. Tel. (707) 824-9879
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.