Description
Spencer Hoopes loves wine and he also loves farming. What began as a passion for collecting wine and the land soon went beyond that. In 1983 Spencer planted his ten acre vineyard in the Oakville AVA of Napa Valley. With the remarkable terroir, a little bit of luck and a lot of love, they quickly found a home for the grapes in some of the better wineries in Napa Valley. Fifteen years later, Spencer decided to take some of those grapes off the market and put them into bottles with his name on the label. Spencer Hoopes had always loved aromatic wines with balance and structure, and he wanted to make that kind of wine with the grapes from his own vineyard. And so he launched Hoopes Cabernet. Hoopes wines are classic Cabernets that capture the pure relationship between grapegrower and winemaker with an old-world-meets-new-world style profile. The philosophy is simple: minimalize after-harvest manipulation of the grape so that you can enjoy the most important ingredient in its true form. This is true grower-made wine.
Hoopes Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Wine Enthusiast Tasting Note
Bold but sophisticated, this has classic, concentrated Napa aromas and flavors. A luscious, velvety mouthfeel through to a lingering finish. The aroma combines cedar and spice-rack notes with fresh berries and black currants. Flavors are influenced by suave, spicy oak accents that weave in and out of the compelling ripe fruit. It’s beautiful to drink now, but will improve through at least 2022. Score – 95. (JIM GORDON, Wine Enthusiast, Aug. 2015)
Hoopes Vineyard Tasting Note
“In 2012 we were so pleased to work with a variety of sites in the Napa Valley. This wine, born out of our curiosity, has matured into a stunning wine which over-delivers for the price on intensity and richness. We are so proud to introduce this beautiful example of what a blend of various sites in Napa Valley can do. On the nose it presents with sweet and floral elements. It reminds me of raspberry violet candies, sweet cherries, and delicate rosewater. On the mouthfeel, the wine is lush and generous, with a hint of sweetness and a full, but supple, texture. It’s finish is focused and lengthy with an acidity that creates an integrated finish.” – Winemaker, Anne Vawter
K&L Wines Tasting Note
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate shows similar suppleness to the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon label, sweet tannin, copious quantities of blue and black fruits, a judicious use of oak and a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. Both wines are enjoyable, but seem to lack nuance and complexity. Of course, that’s subjective, I just don’t find it with these two wines – which were otherwise quite well-made. (RP) (10/2014)- Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Kens Wine Tasting Note
This very dark ruby colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville is very good. It opens with a fragrant boysenberry bouquet with hints of vanilla oak. On the palate, this wine is medium to full bodied, nicely balanced, elegant and smooth as silk. The flavor profile is a delicious black currant with notes of black plum and nicely integrated oak. I also detected some hints of black licorice and black pepper as well. The finish is dry and its refined moderate tannins drift away nicely. I would pair this very nice Cab with a filet mignon. Enjoy – Ken
