Paul Hobbs Russian River Chardonnay 2021  £49.21

Paul Hobbs Russian River Chardonnay

Raised on a farm on the east coast of the United States, Paul Hobbs grew up in a tee-total household but this did not stop his first taste of wine being Chateau Y'quem. It is tempting to say 'and the rest is history' and leave it at that, but there is so much more to this man.

Paul came to winemaking via studying to be a doctor and this scientific background and attention to detail has helped hone his approach to crafting wonderfully precise, complex wines in California, and around the world. He has famously been called the 'Steve Jobs' of wine by Forbes magazine and it is clear he is a driven perfectionist whose hard work has paid off with numerous 100 points scores from the critics. However, to stop there would do Paul an injustice. Notwithstanding his mainstream winemaking training at USC Davis, Paul has been a long advocate of low intervention methods.

Hand-harvested at night using shears, the whole clusters are sent direct to press whilst still cold from the field. Barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts . Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel and then aged for 12 months in French Oak Barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Crafted with precision from six pedigreed sites, the 2021 shines with an opalescent, pale straw hue. Aromas of red apple skin, Asian pear, and Meyer lemon zest entices the nose, followed by delicate notes of gardenia. Lively flavours of apricot and nectarine emerge on the palate, giving way to lemon meringue and baking spice. Bright and energetic with a vibrant acidity, this graceful wine ends with a long, seamless finish.