91 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2012 Pinot Noir Russian River exhibits sexy black currant and black cherry fruit, crisp acidity, a certain framboise character, medium to full body, and abundant texture as well as flavor. The good news is there are over 6,000 cases of it. It should drink well for 4-7 years.

Paul Hobbs has built quite an empire, both as a worldwide respected wine consultant and as the owner of his winery in Sonoma Valley. I reviewed his Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon cuvees in Issue 209, and on this visit I tasted through his 2011 and 2012 Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs as well as a few Syrahs. His wines consistently hit all the high notes, and Hobbs continues to be a serious talent. I particularly enjoy his Cross Barn, inexpensive Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The 2011 Chardonnays range from tiny productions of 138 cases for the Ulises Valdez to 3,600 for the Russian River Chardonnay. The 2012s all reveal the tremendous up-front fruit characteristics of this year along with surprisingly high average alcohols, and good fresh acids. Paul Hobbs has introduced two Cross Barn Pinot Noir cuvees, one from the Sonoma Coast and one from Anderson Valley. These wines use a tiny bit of stems during their fermentations, and spend four months in barrel, 15% of which is new. Tasting through these same cuvees in 2012 demonstrated just how gorgeous this vintage is across the board in Northern California."

91 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

"The 2012 Pinot Noir is rich, juicy, round and voluptuous. Dark red berries, flowers, sweet spices and licorice all flesh out in an inviting wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. This is a classic Paul Hobbs Pinot built on fruit and pure texture. "