2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate
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Paul Hobbs arrived on the Place de Bordeaux last year with Cobos, and has now added a specific bottling from this brilliant Coombsville property. Inky purple in colour, glass-staining and full of joy, liqourice by the boat load, vibrant fruits laced with black chocolate, pomegranate and slate, all chiselled and full of vibrant fruit character, showcasing the reserved side of ripe, that is just so good, and so full of life. Fragrant aromatics release violet and peony notes as the body of the wine relaxes. So much of what is exciting about Napa is found in this part of the valley, and this wine invites us all to the party.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Showcases the purity and bright Cabernet fruit of Coombsville, with floral, graphite, smoke, thyme and sage along with blueberry and cassis. Aromatically fresh without sacrificing concentration, grip and tension. A brilliant first vintage, for a wine that is only being sold through the Bordeaux négociant system. Just 200 cases for this vintage. 71% new oak, harvest September 24 to October 1. Unfiltered and unfined. 100% estate fruit. This is the southernmost winery in Coombsville, bought by Paul Hobbs in 2012, located just in front of the mountains so protected from winds from the San Pablo bay while still being cooler than most of Napa, offering a counterpoint to valley fruit and particularly useful in extreme years like 2020. Label painted by Paul's wife Christina.
The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (like the Coombsville bottling) but sees 90-95% new French oak. The resulting bouquet offers scents of cedar and vanilla but also hints of sage and menthol, plus a solid underpinning of black cherries and cassis. Full-bodied, plush and velvety, there's even a hint of blueberries on the palate, before dusty, astringent tannins clamp down on the finish.
The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate boasts a deep purple hue as well as a beautiful bouquet of ripe plums, cassis, graphite, celery seed, and scorched earth. Coming from the cooler Coombsville appellation in the southern part of the valley, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a dense, powerful, almost chewy profile, ripe tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. It needs 3-4 years of bottle age to round into form and I suspect will be long-lived.
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.