2014 Paul Hobbs,Cabernet Sauvignon, Nathan Coombs Estate, Coombsville, Bottle (750ml)

JD98 The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate is on another level. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a site in Coombsville which is a cooler terroir in the southern part of the Valley and spent 20 months in all new French oak. Sporting an inky purple/blue color and incredible notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, damp earth and leafy herbs, it incredibly concentrated, opulent and decadent, yet always balanced and pure. It's a real “Wow” wine that's going to knock your socks off over the coming 2-3 decades.

RP97+ Having tasted this wine since the inaugural 2012 vintage, one of the aspects I most love about this vineyard is how clearly it stands stylistically apart from Paul Hobbs' St. Helena and Oakville single-vineyard wines—with red fruits entering the mélange, this incredible energy plus a very particular tannin texture—and yet the quality is right up there on the same par. Containing a dollop (2%) of Cabernet Franc, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate has a deep garnet-purple color and a vibrant nose of red currant and red plum compote, blackberry preserves and mulberries with underlying suggestions of garrigue, Mediterranean herbs, damp earth, lavender and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the tannins on this wine are oh-so-finely pixelated, with a refreshing backbone cutting through the intense flavor layers, finishing with an invigorating lift. I could sit down and drink this right now, but it promises much more to come with 10-15 years cellaring and should hold considerably longer.