The story of Hobel Wines began in 1998, when owner Cameron Hobel first met friend and winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown in Napa. Cameron was working as the Director of Business Development at Winebid.com and Thomas was working as Assistant Winemaker at Turley Wine Cellars. Their mutual love of great wine led to many shared dinners and glasses of wine, where they discussed the prospect of finding a project that would allow them to work together in producing a world-class wine. The opportunity finally arose eleven years later, with the 2009 Hobel Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Hobel, their family name, is also a traditional woodworking plane that has been used for centuries by skilled craftsmen to smooth, balance and finish wood surfaces, which is depicted on their label.
Award winning winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown is an artist you’ll surely recognize from our selections here at Bacchus & Venus. He began his career at Turley Wine Cellars in the late 1990s, and as his talent grew so did his resume and accolades. Today, in addition to his own label, Rivers-Marie, Thomas serves as winemaker for several other exceptional wine brands including Outpost, Maybach and Schrader. Food and Wine magazine named him Winemaker of the Year in 2010 and his wines have been awarded multiple 100 point scores by Robert Parker and Wine Spectator and Wine advocate. They say he has the “Midas Touch.”
This lush Cabernet Sauvignon is no exception to that touch. The 2018 Figure shows initially understated notes of earth, wood char and vanilla on the nose, which are quickly enveloped by aromas of warm blackberry compote. The palette is defined by dense dark fruit – blackberries and boysenberries – laced with a touch of salty brown sugar.
For this unforgettable wine, we recommend a very decadent Thanksgiving Dish: Baked Mac & Cheese with Bacon and Cabot Cloth-Bound Aged Cheddar. Cheddar and Cabernet are a classic pairing, because the high fat content in the cheese lifts up the mouth-drying tannins in the wine and matches it’s bold intensity. You’ll definitely go back for seconds.
Michelle “Mecha” Michelbook – November 2020
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