2022 Cabernet Franc Nathan Coombs Estate
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Very structured, balanced and a bit tight right now, this impressive wine will benefit from further aging in the bottle. So floral, earthy, leathery and alive in aromas, followed by intense black fruit and a firm texture. Flavors of black figs, iron, tobacco, graphite, dried blueberries and cranberries. Quite steely and muscular in tannins. Best from 2030.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Cabernet Franc Nathan Coombs Estate includes 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. A terrific success—don't make the mistake of writing off Napa's 2022s, especially from cooler sites—this wines knockout aromas include vaguely floral, leafy notes that suggest such disparate scents as violets and tobacco, then knits them together with red berries into a harmonious whole. It's medium to full-bodied in the mouth, velvety-textured and even perhaps a bit coarse on the finish but concentrated and long. While it needs a few years in the cellar, it should still be humming along in two decades.
The 2022 Cabernet Franc Nathan Coombs Estate is one of the finest wines from Paul Hobbs this year—maybe the best. Then again, Franc fared especially well in 2022. A wine of purity, exuberance and varietal character, the Franc is seriously impressive. Inky red fruit, white pepper, blood orange, spice and mint convey tons of distinctiveness, while beams of supporting tannin lend persistence through to the clean, bracing finish.
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.