2021 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Cristina's Signature Nathan Coombs Coombsville Napa Valley

Tasting notes

The 2021 Cristina’s Signature presents an inky garnet hue with a lush bouquet of juicy raspberry and dark red currant lifted by a subtle mint note. The richly layered palate is exceptionally well-balanced with elegant, fine-grained tannins and a fresh acidity woven together with flavors of blackberry, huckleberry, and dark chocolate. Interlaced with a crushed rock minerality—indicative of the site’s volcanic soils—the structured mid-palate provides good tension through the long, complex finish.

Vintage Notes

2021 will be remembered for its intensely flavored berries, a smooth harvest and most importantly, exquisitely balanced, nuanced, and vivid wines. The season began with historically low rainfall which, coupled with a cold winter, delayed bud break. However, despite the cooler start to the year, the remainder of the season proved to be temperate with no relevant unfavorable weather events. Warm temps and mild May weather conditions favored a compact bloom and an extremely uniform fruit set with highly desirable small berries and moderately sized, well-spaced clusters. Meanwhile, summer’s long, cool mornings and warm afternoons permitted the fruit on the vine to take a slow, leisurely ride to full maturity—excellent for the physiological fruit development we prize. Harvest kicked-off punctually at 12:01 am, September 6, and after six glorious weeks, blessed our house with a fine crop of remarkably delicious, energetic, young wines.

Viticulture

Vineyard
▪Clonal selections: 169, See, 4, 214, 337, 400, 347, 191
▪Rootstocks: 110r, 3309, 101-14
▪Soils: Guenoc Rock Outcrop Complex, Haire Loam, Haire Clay Loam and Sobranate Loam
▪Exposures & inclination: multiple exposures, up to 35% slope
▪Pruning & trellis: bilateral cordon

Harvest
▪Hand-harvested at night with shears
▪October 1-19

Vinification

▪Hand-sorted while still cold from the field
▪Indigenous yeast fermentation
▪27-day total maceration
▪Pumpovers and délestage
▪Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel
▪Aged 20 months in French oak barrels; 50% new
▪Bottled unfined and unfiltered; June 2023