Hobbs ALH Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2023

97 Points, James Suckling

Agustina has been quietly soaking up every single thing her father says and does in the vineyard, learning the meticulous craftsmanship that has made him such a legend and using those skills to forge her own path. You can tell that she has her own style, favoring fresher, more vibrant and therefore slightly less ageworthy Cabernet. But the drinkability factor is simply off the charts.

Coming from a tremendous vintage in Napa, this totally shines. It’s a gorgeous, young Cabernet Sauvignon made exclusively from select blocks within the renowned Nathan Coombs Estate (not a bad site to work) where the soil is largely clay loam with igenous rocks and volcanic tuff. Agustina chose to age this beauty in 18 months with 29% of that oak new, so even in its youth, it’s already super inviting with a great bouquet of cherry, violet and forest floor. The palate is elegant and well-structured with layers of layers of red, blue and black fruits with thyme and some dark cacao. It’s a beautiful, highly rated Cabernet that James Suckling called “An unusually supple, approachable and suave wine.”