Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
St. Helena, Napa Valley
Vineyard
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
Dr. George Belden Crane is credited along with Charles Krug, as one of the major founders of the wine industry in Napa Valley. The vineyard was planted in 1858 in an area that became the Chinatown district of Santa Helena during prohibition. Characterized by gravelly loam soil, it was replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals in 1998 when Andy Beckstoffer acquired it. We released our first vintage from the Dr. Crane Vineyard in 2003.
Site
Flat topography with a east west exposure.
Soil
Gravelly, sandy loam topsoil to depth of 55 to 72 inches; subsoil dominated by cobblestones. Composed of Franciscan shale and sandstone; lies on the Sulphur Canyon alluvial fan that emanates from the Mayacmas Mountains.
Climate
Saint Helena is one of the warmest areas in the Napa Valley, being the further away from the bay than Carneros or Oakville. It is characterized by long, warm summer days, but does receive a gentle, cooling influence in the form of afternoon breezes that come over the Mayacamas Mountains from the Pacific.
