Paul Hobbs makes wine from the very best vineyards in California.  Think names like Hyde, Stagecoach, To-Kalon and Dr. Crane.  He has numerous 100 point ratings and has established himself as perhaps the top winemaker and consultant in California and beyond.

But what happens to all of those expensive grapes he buys that don’t quite make the cut for his $100+ wines?  I’ll give you a hint.  He doesn’t just throw them away.  He makes them into his Crossbarn series of wines.  You might call Crossbarn a second wine, but that wouldn’t really do these wines justice.  The Crossbarn series are on par with most wineries top tier productions, but Hobbs just holds himself to a higher standard.

I’ve had a number of vintages of both the Chardonnay and the Cabernet and each impress every time.  For the most recent vintage, 2008 for the Cab and 2009 for the Chard, Hobbs lowered the price and upped the quality.  Both come in under the $30 mark, an impressive feat for a producer whose Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet retails for $139.95!

Parker gave each of these 91 points making them undeniable values – one thing Paul Hobbs isn’t always known for…

Buy Here:  2008 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon $29.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“A terrific bargain in Napa Cabernet, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon CrossBarn (100% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5,782 cases produced) is a cross Napa Valley blend. It possesses a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a brilliant perfume of smoked herbs, sweet creme de cassis and blackberry fruit, incense and hints of charcoal and herbs. Savory, broad and expansive on the palate, this full-bodied, supple-textured effort is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet that is silky enough to be drunk early in life and over the next 10-15 years.”

Buy Here: 2009 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Chardonnay $22.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“A stunning bargain is the 2009 Chardonnay CrossBarn, which was aged in 75% stainless steel, was put through 100% malolactic, and 15% was barrel fermented in order to provide a subtle hint of spice. Made in a steely, Chablis-like style, it offers up full-bodied tropical fruit notes intermixed with hints of honeysuckle and crushed rocks. Drink this 4,000-case beauty over the next several years.

One way I like to gut check a wine purchase, if I haven’t tasted it before, is to look at the consistency of the ratings.  David Ramey’s 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 92 points by both Tanzer and Parker and 91 points by Wine Spectator.  That’s great consistency and big scores for a $32 Napa Cabernet.  Technically, this is a $50 wine, and although it only sells at that price at the winery and some price gouging retail outlets, LA Wine Co. has this one for $3 lower than the next lowest price I can find on Wine Search or Google Shopping.

David Ramey’s winemaking credentials are legendary, having trained at Chateau Pétrus, and led the ascension of names like Chalk Hill, Dominus and Rudd.  He’s taken those skills to the next level with his own project where he makes a wide variety of wines from top vineyards in Sonoma and Napa counties.  This Cabernet is a blend of multiple vineyards including 37% from the famous Larkmead Vineyard and 15% from Snowden.  Though it’s aged in 50% new oak, it really shows very little influence, having only gained the texture with just hints of the typical vanilla scents.

This wine is dark opaque purple and somewhat reticent on the nose today.  Judging by the flavor, the nose will develop significantly in the next five years.  It’s broad and rich on the palate with primary fruit gaining complexity on the lengthy finish.   I believe this wine will continue to grow for the next 5 years and drink well for at least the following 10.

For readers looking for a solid, high-end Cabernet for the lowest price in the country, this is your wine.

Buy Here: 2007 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon $31.95

Robert Parker 92 points

“A stunning yet reasonably priced, high end Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. The final bottling from the extraordinary Larkmead Vineyard, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of blueberry and black currant fruit intertwined with licorice, bay leaf, cedar and fruitcake notes. Full-bodied and opulent, this precocious 2007 is drinkable now and should evolve for another 15+ years.

David Ramey also produces Syrah and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River and Carneros, which will be reviewed in the February, 2011 issue. Another look at his 2007 Napa offerings essentially confirm my comments of last year. I tasted through David Ramey’s 2009 barrel samples and they all displayed the friendly, charming, upfront fruit of this vintage. In many ways, they will be even more drinkable than the 2007s and 2008s upon release, but due to the style of the vintage, they do not have quite the power, punch or concentration of those two years. However, they are charming efforts and those who sometimes find California wines too rich may want to take a serious look at this vintage.”

Of note, this wine also received 91 points from Wine Spectator and 92 points from International Wine Cellar.

Monday was the hottest day on record in Los Angeles at 113 degrees.  Ever.  Where we live, near the ocean, it only hit 99 but because it rarely breaks 75, no one has air conditioning.  Well, I had one bottle of wine sitting outside the temperature controlled cellar and it was the 2007 Neyers Ranch Conn Valley Cabernet.  Unfortunately it got a little warm and a very small amount of wine pushed through the cork.  On the plus side, that meant I had to drink it hence the write-up of a high-end Cabernet that was consumed on a Monday (and Tuesday).

It’s probably best that I let our loyal readers know about this wine today anyway, because it won’t last long at this price (the lowest in the country by $4).  Pop quiz: can anyone name another 95+ point 2007 Napa Cabernet under $40?  I can name only one other: the 2007 Robert Craig Affinity, which L.A Wine Co. had at this same price (long since sold out).  With thousands of Napa Cabernets released every year, that’s pretty impressive.

So how does it taste? Exceptional.  But it needs time.  This is seriously concentrated but still very tight on the first day, though it opened up significantly on the second.  That said, under the somewhat primary fruit and tannins, lies deep complexity that will start to emerge after 3-5 years and still be going strong in 15 or 20.  We’re used to buying a wine one day and drinking it the next, but for the Neyers Ranch- Conn Valley Cabernet, we should probably take a hint from the French.  They sit on their wines, sometimes for decades, before drinking them.

Two takeaways from this post:

1. Don’t leave expensive wine out in 100 degree heat.
2. Sometimes good things get even better with time.

Buy Here: 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Neyers Ranch’s Conn Valley

Wine Spectator 95 points

“Very tight and structured, but with brilliant ripe dark berry and date-nut fruit flavors that are intense, compact and concentrated, yet layered and expansive, with blackberry, wild berry, cherry and plum notes that are slow to unfold but very impressive. Drink now through 2020. 575 cases made.”

The Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast are amazing places.  Napa specifically is a fraction the size of the Bordeaux region, yet grows basically all of the grape varietals of the entire country of France.  The reason?  The Pacific Ocean and Mayacamas Mountains combine to create unique microclimates all over the valley, each uniquely suited to the many varietals that thrive there.

Etude’s Estate Pinot Noir is grown in the Carneros AVA that covers part of Napa and Sonoma counties.  Breezes from San Pablo Bay keep Carneros cooler than the rest of Napa Valley making it perfectly suited to growing Pinot Noir grapes.  Etude focuses on making great Pinot Noir in this region and the 2007 has certainly delivered.  It’s exceptionally fragrant, earthy and complex, with a full bodied texture that I find unique to Carneros and Russian River Valley Pinots versus the lighter version from Santa Barbara to the South.  At 14.4% alcohol, it’s not shy, but it retains a sleek refinement despite its high alcohol level.

Pinot fans will definitely be pleased with Etude’s 2007 Estate release.  Robert Parker gives it 90 points and at under $30 at LA Wine Co. (once again the lowest price in the country), it’s a relative value given the Pinot Price Inflation (PPI- I made that up- watch for it.), caused by that sad but entertaining movie, Sideways.

2007 Etude Pinot Noir Estate- $29.95

Robert Parker 90 points

“Etude’s outstanding trio of Pinot Noirs begins with the dark ruby/plum-hued 2007 Pinot Noir Estate, which offers plenty of sweet cherry, pomegranate, wood spice, and forest floor characteristics in its round, gracious, expansive personality. Enjoy it over the next 5-6 years. “