At the end of last year, James spoke over Zoom with top Californian winemaker Paul Hobbs and his team from Paul Hobbs Winery to taste all of their 2018 cabernet sauvignon-based wines from Crossbarn to To Kalon.
The wines showed beautiful balance and precision highlighting the late and even growing season of the 2018 vintage. It was a year that required a lot of work in the vineyards to get crop levels right to produce serious wines. But as Paul revealed, they got it very right at the To Kalon Vineyard site, a substantial parcel that sits right in the heart of the Oakville AVA of Napa Valley. And James said it had an aura of vineyard-driven pedigree in the 2018 vintage tastings. “To Kalon has been crushing it,” he said. In fact, he liked the balance and harmony of many of the wines from there this year. Paul Hobbs also gave an optimistic take on the 2019 vintage. Watch the video above for the full discussion.
Read the full Napa report here: NEW NAPA VALLEY WINES HIGHLIGHT HARMONY AND REFINEMENT WITH 2018 VINTAGE (1,093 WINES RATED)
Below are the wines that were tasted during the call. Click the links to see the tasting notes and scores (subscribers only).
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 2018
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Coombsville Nathan Coombs Estate 2018
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard 2018
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard 2018
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Coombsville 2018
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Crossbarn 2018
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County Crossbarn 2018
