Iconic Producer Releases Debut Cristina’s Signature Blend Showcasing Its Estate in the Coombsville AVA
September 7, 2023, Sebastopol, Calif.- As of September 14, 2023, Paul Hobbs Winery will entrust the exclusive distribution and launch of the 2020 Cristina’s Signature from the winery’s flagship Nathan Coombs Estate to La Place de Bordeaux through the Bureau des Grand Vins.
“We are thrilled to partner with La Place de Bordeaux for the inaugural release of our single vineyard cabernet sauvignon blend, the 2020 Cristina’s Signature,” said owner and vintner Paul Hobbs. “For over a decade, the Coombsville AVA has been known for its unique terroir and exceptional wines. We are eager to showcase the unparalleled quality of our Nathan Coombs Estate and this region to the world.”
The distribution of Paul Hobbs’ inaugural Cristina’s Signature will initially rely on the expertise and knowledge of six Bordeaux negociants: CVBG, LD Vins, Ulysse Cazabonne, Joanne Rare Wines, Maison Ginestet, and Crus et Domaines de France, who will commercialize this remarkable wine in the most prominent placements in Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
Cristina’s Signature is a single vineyard blend from the winery’s flagship Nathan Coombs Estate in Napa’s Coombsville AVA and will be available in a three-bottle branded wood box.
Paying homage to family has always served as a touchstone in Paul Hobbs’ extraordinary career. From the eponymous winery’s home at the Katherine Lindsay Estate, named after Paul’s great-grandmother, to the small-lot wines in the Cuvée collection, named after his daughters, Agustina, Sophia, and Louisa, family serves as a pillar in his lexicon. As the Hobbs family name persists among generations, Paul continues to honor his family legacy by crafting a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as a tribute to his beloved spouse, Cristina Hobbs.
Parallel to Paul’s terroir-driven approach to winemaking, Cristina draws inspiration from the land to create her art. A painter and ceramicist, her recent work celebrates Northern Californian nature: the colors, patterns, lushness, and even the ‘feel’ of the weather. Her work is featured prominently throughout the buildings nestled within the Katherine Lindsay Estate in Sebastopol, California.
Cristina’s painting, Blue Swan, served as the inspiration for the label design. The piece is a play on the synthesis of the classic Chinese Ming Dynasty porcelain blue and white onion florals and animal patterns. In the late 1600s, these works moved to Europe where they then shaped German porcelain ware and Dutch delftware. The iconographic changes to native European plants and animals make for exciting conceptual play in the artist’s work. In the same way her paintings are influenced by Chinese and Japanese screens, this painting is inspired by Chinese and European ceramics. The artist is intrigued by how dissimilar cultures can, over time, mingle and blend to give birth to a new art-life form.
Exhibiting a deep garnet hue, the 2020 Cristina’s Signature captivates with a lush bouquet of crushed blackberry, wild sage, and a delicate tobacco leaf note. The palate is exceptionally well-balanced with elegant, supple tannins, and fresh acidity that wraps around its red currant, dark chocolate, and boysenberry core, coupled with subtle notes of dried herbs and vanilla. The seamlessly layered mid-palate provides a gentle grip of fine-grained tannins through the lingering finish.
Situated in the extreme southeast corner of the Napa Valley at the foot of the Vaca Mountains is Napa’s newest sub-appellation, Coombsville. It is here that Paul Hobbs founded his flagship Nathan Coombs Estate, naming it for the eponymous district, and the historical founder of the City of Napa, Nathan Coombs. Rocky, volcanic soils are prevalent throughout the vineyard and lend a distinct mineral tension to the wine’s mouthfeel. The rolling, undulating terrain provides gentle to moderate slopes (up to 35%) causing varying exposures, and is bolstered by the soil’s loose, open structure offering excellent water drainage and deep root exploration. Given its proximity to the San Pablo Bay, Coombsville is among the coolest climate regions of the Napa Valley.
About Paul Hobbs Winery
Pioneering winemaker Paul Hobbs established his eponymous winery in Sebastopol, Calif. in 1991. Guided by his vision and dedication to showcasing terroir, the winery is continuously refining the art of winemaking utilizing minimal intervention practices and meticulous vineyard management. Today, Paul crafts some of Napa Valley’s highly sought after cabernet sauvignons, in addition to world-class pinot noir and chardonnay from cool-climate, coastal influenced sites in Sonoma County.
About Paul Hobbs
Regarded as an international visionary for his accomplishments in the vineyard and winery, Paul Hobbs combines his childhood roots on the family farm in Western New York with an innovative scientific approach to refine the art of winemaking. He is recognized across the globe for breaking with tradition and forging new paths in the pursuit of excellence: both in stewardship of the land, and the crafting of wines that represent the purist concept of place–leading the way in the early 90’s as a pioneer of site-specific, vineyard designate wines.
Today, Paul is owner and vintner for eight wineries around the world: Paul Hobbs Winery, Crossbarn, and HOBBS (Sebastopol, California), Hillick & Hobbs (Finger Lakes, New York), Viña Cobos (Mendoza, Argentina), Crocus (Cahors, France), Yacoubian-Hobbs (Vayots Dzor, Armenia), and Alvaredos-Hobbs (Galicia, Spain).
