Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A lovely Napa Cabernet, marked by ripe, rich flavors of blackberry and black currant and the smoky toast of oak barrel aging. Dry and tannic, it's a soothing, upscale Cabernet to drink over the next few years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon CrossBarn is a gorgeous, fruit-driven wine bursting with dark red fruit, new leather, spices and licorice. Expressive aromatics are woven throughout in this beautifully delineated, entry-level Cabernet. The final blend includes 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Hobbs uses a touch of American oak for this Crossbarn label. The main vineyards are State Lane and Mast, both in Yountville.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.