The last time we featured Paul Hobbs in this newsletter, we referred to his Chardonnay as one of the state's rising Chardonnay stars. With each passing vintage his status as one of the best Chardonnay producers becomes more apparent. All of the major national wine publications have reviewed his wine with great praise and it's easy to see why. They are some of the most dramatic and flavorful Chardonnays to be found anywhere. His 1996 from the Richard Dinner Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain is a big wine but manages to strike a wonderful balance of being ultra rich without being too fat or ponderous. Flavors of creamy pears, leesy butter and toasted almonds are complex, expansive and long lasting. It was bottled unfiltered to capture all of its deep flavor and it is expected to be a bit hazy. Unfortunately, because of his growing reputation, this wine is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
