2014 Cabernet Sauvignon (Coombsville)

Paul Hobbs' 2014s showed pretty much as I expected them to from bottle. The highlights are the Piedras and Nathan Coombs, two wines that have more than enough underlying structure to support the rich, voluptuous fruit Hobbs pulls from his vineyards. The Napa Valley bottling continues to benefit from the presence of fruit from Nathan Coombs, which has begun to add pedigree to that bottling. Like all of his colleagues, Hobbs had to deal with very challenging conditions in 2015. Cold, wet weather in May resulted in an uneven set, while heat spikes towards the end of the season further reduced the crop. Yields are down 30-35%, which is not a terrible result within the context of the year.

Paul Hobbs fans will want to take note of a few changes in the lineup. Hobbs has decided to eliminate the Stagecoach Cabernet from his range, which is not entirely surprising given the recent acquisition of the Nathan Coombs Vineyard, a site that produces Cabernets in a similar vein. The last few vintages from Coombs are super-impressive, to say the least. Two thousand thirteen is also the last vintage of the Hyde Vineyard Cabernet, as that parcel need to be replanted. Overall, the 2013s are big, towering Cabernets, very much in the style of the year, while the 2014s are more aromatically precise and linear. Hobbs and his long-time winemaker Megan Baccitich add that yields were slightly higher across the board in 2014 than they were in 2013.