As you walk through the cool, minimal, contemporary space of the Paul Hobbs Winery offices in Sonoma County, California, you could be approaching the door of an acclaimed architect or film producer. Everything is wood, glass and neutral colors, says Executive Editor Jim Gordon. The windows look out on precise rows of grapevines climbing undulating slopes in the Sebastopol Hills.
The staff is quietly at work. A sense of calm is matched by an undercurrent of energy and seriousness. And then you meet globetrotting winemaker and entrepreneur Paul Hobbs and you understand where the quiet energy comes from.
Jim first met Hobbs about 20 years ago and says that energy is not only a good description of his demeanor but a pretty good way to capture the character of his California wines, too, from the 2023 chardonnays and pinot noirs that he poured for Jim to layered and velvety Napa cabernet sauvignons. Five of the more than 100 U.S. wines in this report that ranked especially high were made by his team, getting marks in the high 90s.
Two brilliant pinot noirs from 2023 were the real show-stoppers. The Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Fraenkle Cheshier Vineyard 2023 is muscular, intense and laced with black tea nuances, while the Pinot Noir Russian River Valley George Menini Estate 2023 is saturated with dark berries and a smoky, earthy character from the Calera-clone grapes and 15 percent whole-cluster fermentation.