CrossBarn Pinot Noir
- Jun 27
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 7
At a Glance
Producer: CrossBarn by Paul Hobbs
Region: Sonoma Coast AVA, Sonoma County, California
Winemaker: Paul Hobbs
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2022
Alcohol: 14.1%
What to Look For
CrossBarn is a cool-climate California Pinot Noir with aromas and flavors of black cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, and cranberry, layered with notes of rose petals, baking spice, and just a touch of forest floor. Bright acidity and fine-grained tannins keep the wine fresh and balanced, leading to a long, silky finish.
Pair With
This is one of those wonderfully versatile wines that seems to get along with just about everything. Try it with roast chicken, duck, grilled salmon, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, or a cheese board featuring Gruyère or Comté. If you're lucky enough to have Thanksgiving leftovers, this bottle would be right at home there, too.
Why This Wine?
I wanted one of our first Wine Club wines to tell a little of my own introduction to wine.
In my early 20s, I lived in Eugene, Oregon. LOVED IT!
At first, I was much more into craft beer than wine. Give me a good porter or stout and I was happy. But as luck would have it, I ended up renting a room from a very cool woman who was just a few years older than me and really into wine. She took me along to wine tastings and festivals all over the Willamette Valley. They seemed to be happening every weekend, and it was a pretty great place to get introduced to wine.
I really couldn't have told you much about the wines back then, but I remember thinking it was a pretty cool way to spend an afternoon. And I do remember Pinot Noir being my gateway into "real" wine. Which, if you knew me a few years earlier, was a pretty dramatic improvement from my teenage days of drinking Cold Duck "champagne" out of a giant Styrofoam cup, cruising gravel roads in Okoboji, Iowa.
We've all got to start somewhere.
A few years later, I moved to Dana Point, California, and worked at a really great restaurant & wine bar that poured only California wines.
That actually just occurred to me while writing this. I'd completely forgotten that was our thing.
Well...that probably explains why I keep falling for big, rich, lush California wines.
So...back to CrossBarn
One of my favorite wine reps, Doug Searles, introduced me to this bottle. I told him I loved big California Cabernets but regretted that I'd never really found my way back to Pinot Noir. Instead of trying to convince me with an earthy Oregon Pinot, he handed me this Sonoma Coast beauty.
If you're a Cabernet drinker like me, this might be a good reminder that Pinot Noir doesn't always mean light or delicate. This one still has plenty of ripe fruit and richness, just with a little more freshness and finesse than I'm used to.
Don't worry...I'm not breaking up with Cabernet.
But I do think I might start seeing Pinot Noir from time to time.
What Other People Are Tasting
Obviously, there is no "right" answer when tasting wine. Sometimes I pick up what the experts describe. Sometimes...not even close. That's part of the fun.
Here are a few things that stood out to some experienced palates:
James Suckling – 94 points
"Lots of dried strawberry, umami, seaweed and bark... creamy and flavorful with lovely deliciousness at the end."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate – 93 points
"Perfumed cranberry and pomegranate... supported by gently chalky tannins and mouthwatering acidity."
Jeb Dunnuck – 92 points
"Pie spice, cherry liqueur, crushed roses... lovely elegance and great freshness."
Wine Enthusiast – 90 points
"Plush, ripe cherry and strawberry aromas... raspberry coulis, cola and orange skin."
Curious?
If you'd like to keep exploring, these are some of the places I found helpful while learning more about this wine.
Comments