The wine at a glance

The producer’s 2021 technical sheet confirms a Napa Valley origin, nighttime hand-harvesting, 18 months of barrel aging and bottling without fining. Its profile combines floral, plum and currant aromas with concentrated dark fruit, ripe tannins and fresh acidity.

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About Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs

Paul Hobbs launched Crossbarn in 2000 and named it after the cross barn on his family's more than 150-year-old fruit farm in Niagara County, New York. The barn was a childhood meeting place for Paul and his siblings. Its name reflects the family's agricultural heritage and values of hard work, integrity, community and respect for the land.

Based in Sebastopol, Crossbarn produces approachable California wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, using vineyard-focused sourcing and relatively gentle cellar practices. The two Crossbarn selections in the inaugural M&V Wine Club make it possible to explore the label in both red and white styles.

Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs: the winery and its wines

Crossbarn connects the legacy of Paul Hobbs' family fruit farm in New York with a vineyard-driven approach to California wine. The introductory M&V Wine Club features Crossbarn in both red and white: the 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay whose exact vintage is still under confirmation. Each wine has a separate profile so customers can compare varietal, sourcing and winemaking styles without confusing one label with another.

Find the related wine profiles: Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon 2021; Crossbarn Chardonnay. The Red Collection and White Collection provides an overview of the bottles and the in-store offer.

Return to the M&V Wine Club homepage for the full introductory selection. Individual wine details are identified as verified or pending where necessary, and retail availability is confirmed by Mash & Vine Market.

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2021 Napa Valley: the wine and growing season

Crossbarn sources this Cabernet Sauvignon from carefully selected Napa Valley vineyards, with fruit harvested by hand at night. The 2021 growing season followed a notably dry winter and spring, then a cooler start, moderate early summer and a cooler August. According to the winery, this weather pattern supported even ripening, vivid acidity and supple tannins.

How the 2021 Crossbarn Cabernet was made

Winemaking detail	2021 specification
Grape composition	97% Cabernet Sauvignon · 3% Merlot
Harvest	Hand-harvested at night
Cold soak	5 days
Maceration	24 days
Fermentation	Native and selected yeasts
Barrel aging	18 months
New oak	13% new French oak
Bottling	Unfined

These details come from Crossbarn’s official 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon production sheet (PDF). They refer to this vintage, not the Chardonnay or the winery’s other Cabernet bottlings.

2021 Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon: critic ratings

These are attributed professional wine reviews for the 2021 Napa Valley bottling—not customer reviews or ratings of Mash & Vine Market.

Publication	Score
James Suckling	94 / 100
Wine Spectator	93 / 100
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate	92 / 100
Wine Enthusiast	92 / 100
Vinous	91 / 100

Reviewers highlight ripe blackberry, plum and currant fruit as well as herbs, cedar, cocoa and spice. Their descriptions vary in emphasis: some note medium-bodied freshness, while others focus on concentration, tannic structure and a persistent finish. See the Wine.com 2021 listing and Wine Enthusiast’s independent 92-point review for attribution.

Food pairing: a steakhouse-friendly Cabernet

The wine’s ripe dark fruit, herbaceous detail and structured tannins suit grilled beef. The winemaker’s suggested pairing is grilled skirt steak with shiso chimichurri. Other editorial ideas include roast lamb, grilled portobello mushrooms and aged hard cheeses.

2021 wine sources

Primary source: Crossbarn official 2021 technical sheet. Professional ratings and additional descriptions: Wine.com 2021 Cabernet listing. Independent review: Wine Enthusiast. Shop pricing or availability shown on external websites does not represent pricing or stock at Mash & Vine Market.