Wine reviews
Wonderfully exotic, with complex aromas of spice, cedar, currant, kirsch and blackberry that fold over to the rich, firm andf ull-bodied palate. Elegantly styled, layered and persistent. Simply a joy to drink. Drink now through 2012. 586 cases made. – JL
The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard exhibits a rocky, stony, gravelly, hot pebble-sort of nose that I often associate with wines such as Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion. Beautifully sweet blueberry and blackberry fruit along with a note of lead pencil shavings jump from the glass of this opaque purple-colored, full-bodied, intense wine. This brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon should evolve gracefully for 25-30+ years.
A Graves look-alike with scorched earth, blueberry, espresso bean, and chocolaty characteristics is the dense purplecolored 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard. Deep and full-bodied with an unmistakable minerality as well as graphite notes, this huge, massive Cabernet Sauvignon boasts sensational richness, and a long, full-bodied, blockbuster finish. It will rival the 2006 as well as some of the previous great wines that have emerged from this vineyard. Paul Hobbs is one of the most brilliant consultants working in California, and he is well-placed in Argentina with a number of projects there as well. His empire is in the Russian River, and it continues to expand, with a bevy of artisanal hand-made Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Sauvignons, and more recently, Syrahs. These are fullthrottle wines that merit serious attention. He clearly fared very well with his 2006 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir programs, and seems to have hit veritable home runs with the brilliance of these wines as well as his Cabernets and Syrahs in 2007. Paul Hobbs’ 2007 Chardonnays are crisp, full-bodied, intensely flavorful wines with higher than usual levels of vibrancy and freshness because of the acid profiles and cool growing season. In addition to the great success he enjoys with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, Hobbs also hits all the high notes with his Cabernet Sauvignons. There are five offerings, starting with his Napa bottling, one of the better generic efforts in the marketplace. Another fabulous vintage for Paul Hobbs, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons may ultimately come close to resembling the great successes he has had, including his brilliant 2001s and 2002s.