2021 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Cleary Estate
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Pinot Noir Cleary Estate is a complex, beguiling wine. Floral and savory notes meld into a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Medium in body and nervy, the 2021 also possesses the remarkable depth that runs through all of the wines here in this vintage. White pepper, mint, dried flower and incense hints linger on the brisk, salivating finish. Riveting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com
More reviews and scores
A transparent but deep ruby, the 2021 Pinot Noir Cleary Estate displays a more intense and brooding personality, but it has great, fresh lift in its notes of rocky, gravelly earth, black raspberry liqueur, and pine needle. This exceptional red delivers notes of fresh cherry, black stones, and ripe tannins and has more expansiveness on the palate, with a more expressive and stately personality. Packed with fantastic nerve and energy as well as wonderful fruit to support it throughout, this is outstanding. Over my first two years as a full-time wine critic, I found the wines of Paul Hobbs to be some of the most pleasurable and surprising. Historically, my experience with these Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines was an opulent style with a fair bit of extract and oak influence. Tasting the wines today, though they certainly are not lacking in concentration, they have a level of refinement, precision, and energy that is undeniable across the range. These are some of the best wines I have tasted from Paul Hobbs and Sonoma to date. Meeting with Paul at his winery in Sebastapol, he acknowledged that there has been a gradual yet steady shift in style and a preference for the wines he enjoys. This self-awareness is one of the unique strengths to their success in fine-tuning the wines over time.
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.