The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, juicy wine loaded with dark fruit, mocha, spices and new leather. This rich, expansive Cabernet boasts tons of class and sheer personality. Mint, licorice and spices add complexity as the dark fruit fleshes out on the finish. This is a fabulous wine for the money. The Cabernet is made from To Kalon, Dr. Crane, Las Piedras, Stagecoach and Hyde, and includes a dollop of Petit Verdot from Stagecoach. It is a fabulous effort from Paul Hobbs. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2021. I tasted a wide range of stunning wines with Paul Hobbs and winemakers Megan Baccitich and Jason Valenti. I will report on the Sonoma Chardonnays and Pinots in Issue 199. In the meantime, readers will find no shortage of fabulous choices among these 2009 and 2010 Cabernets. After tasting the Hobbs Pinots, it is impossible to miss the clear link between those wines and his Cabernets, especially when comparing those wines to the other Cabernets being made by other producers from the same sites. These are some of the most impeccable, polished, Pinot-like Cabernet Sauvignons readers will come across. The wines are fermented with natural yeasts and are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Crossbarn is Paul Hobbs’ second label and is included here for ease of reference. Hobbs describes 2010 as a very late harvest that was especially hard on cooler, more marginal regions for Cabernet Sauvignon. There will be no 2010 (or 2009 for that matter) Cabernets from Stagecoach or Hyde. The best fruit from those sites may end up in the 2010 Crossbarn or the Napa Valley bottling, but the selection will be severe. Tel. (707) 824-9879

Big yet nuanced, with tiers of cedar, dark berry, black licorice, gravel and road tar, this is intense, chewy and tannic, with an underlying measure of finesse and detail. Drink now through 2024. 3,280 cases made. –JL