2001 Paul Hobbs Richard Dinner Vineyard Chardonnay, 3-bottle Lot

Paul Hobbs is a boutique winery in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California. It was founded in 1991 by Paul Hobbs, who worked at Robert Mondavi, Opus One and Simi Winery in various winemaking capacities before starting his own winery. He also consulted in Argentina, and now makes Malbecs from Argentina with other business partners under the Vina Cobos label. Hobbs uses grapes from numerous vineyards under contract to his estate to make well-reviewed Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. His wines from the several Beckstoffer vineyards and the Hyde vineyard are particularly noteworthy. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Hobbs “one of the great names in winemaking…(he makes) full-throttle, intense wines made with classical European methods.”

Sonoma County is not an AVA, but it is a commonly used informal designation for wines made outside of more specific AVAs within Sonoma, which is a large wine producing region just west of Napa Valley. Though Sonoma is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbor Napa Valley, it has a long history of wine production. The area specialized in jug wine until the mid-20th century, when Sonoma producers took a cue from Napa and started improving quality. Unlike Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Sonoma specialized in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, though excellent Cabs are produced too. There are at present 16 AVAs within Sonoma County, and, like much of the West Coast of the United States, new AVAs are created in Sonoma County with regularity. Some Sonoma appellations, such as the Russian River Valley, are renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.