The wine is a deep red with a slight purple tint typical of our 8c parcel of land, with aromas of dried sage, red currant, black tea, and graphite. The 2016 vintage is red fruit-rich, with raspberry, red plum, and a structure that blends in subtle chocolate and green pepper. The tannins are fine, tempered by fresh acidity, and the finish is long. The 2016 growing season was cooler than the average of the past three years, with cooler daytime and nighttime temperatures. The harvest began a week earlier than normal, but the weather was stable throughout the growing season. There was no heatwave to get the grapes to ripen, but they ripened rapidly over the next 2-3 weeks. Overall, the vintage was of very good quality and produced expressive grapes. Paul Hobbs began his career as a winemaker at Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley in 1978. Over the next 25 years, he honed his skills and expertise at Mondavi, Opus One, Simi Winery in Sonoma County, and as a winemaking consultant in Chile and Argentina. During this time, Paul frequently traveled to the major wine regions of Europe, gathering additional skills and ideas. Paul founded Paul Hobbs Winery in California in 1991, Viña Cobos in Argentina in 1999, and Crossburn Winery in California in 2000. Growing up with 11 children, Paul's passion for vineyards began in 1969 when the first grapes were planted on his family's farm in upstate New York. Seeing his dedication to work, Paul's father quickly made him head of viticulture. Paul first tasted and experienced wines from around the world while attending the University of Notre Dame, which sparked his passion for his lifelong winemaking career. In 1975, he enrolled in a Masters in Food Science at UC Davis's Department of Enology. His thesis, written on oak barrel aging, garnered considerable attention from the premium wine community. Even today, Paul's knowledge of barrels is unmatched, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is a master of barrel wines. The late Robert Mondavi, who recognized Paul's talent, immediately hired him as a research technician. In 1979, Paul was promoted to winemaker at the winery. In 1981, he joined the winemaking team at Opus One, a position he held for four years. In 1985, Paul joined the historic Simi Winery in Sonoma as assistant winemaker. One of his first tasks was to create a new style of Cabernet Sauvignon. By treating the fermentation and fruit with care and gentleness, he produced a richer, more supple wine that attracted the attention of critics and consumers alike. In 1989, he became Vice President and Winemaker, his first opportunity to lead the winemaking program of a premium California winery. In 1991, together with several partners, he founded Paul Hobbs Winery in Sonoma, specializing in craft wines and single vineyard wines from Napa and Sonoma. The architect-designed winery was completed in 2003 and surrounds the winery's 14 acres of land planted to Pinot Noir, named "Lindsay". In 1999, Paul founded Viña Cobos Winery in Mendoza, Argentina, which produces ultra-premium wines from the acclaimed old vineyards of Marchioli Vineyards, as well as value-range, accessible wines from Felino and Bramare. In 2000, he launched the Crossburn brand, and now he has built a winery in Sonoma, where he teaches young winemakers the know-how of winemaking. Paul was named "Winemaker of the Year" by the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine in December 2000, and "Most important winemaker in California" by The Quarterly Review of Wines in 2004. In 2013, he was named "The Steve Jobs of Wine" by the American economic magazine Forbes. Recently, he has also been cultivating Riesling in the Finger Lakes region of New York, where Paul is from.