1996
Paul Hobbs Chardonnay, Cuvee Agustina, Richard Dinner Vineyard
Winemaker's Notes
1994 was the year of birth of my first child, Agustina Lindsay, born July 3 while her doctor was at the coast windsurfing. 1994 was also a vintage of uncommon quality. With the same element of shear excitement, trepidation and good fortune that gave rise to Agustina, Paul Hobbs Winery set out to honor the magnificence of nature?s concert with man. Our goal was to make a wine of truly exceptional proportions, beyond any wine we had ever made before. And, we carry that tradition on to this day. We found the grapes growing handsomely on old vines perched high on the eastern flank of Sonoma Mountain at the Dinner Vineyard. Careful individual vinification using only ancient winemaking techniques produced four (11) barrels of Cuvee Agustina.
Vineyard
Owner/Manager
Caroline and Patti Dinner
Vineyard
Richard Dinner Vineyard
Clones
Old Wente
Vineyard Age
14 years
Site
Hillside, northern exposure, clay-loam with lens of volcanic tuft
Yield
2.8 tons/acre
Harvest
Harvest Date
September 4, 5 and 6, 1996
Harvest Brix
Range: 22.6° - 23.7°
Growing Season
The 1996 crop was marginally larger than 1995, both were tiny. Weather on Sonoma Mountain for the growing period was generally moderate and, in the final weeks leading up to harvest the days remained long and warm with very cold nights. In this respect 1996 was superior to 1995, a vintage which finished dry and hot causing many plants to suffer down the home stretch. Again, as in 1995, berry size was very small yielding fruit of remarkable concentration.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested grapes
Whole cluster, direct-to-press
Barrel fermented with indigenous yeast, 6 to 14 weeks to completion,
Barrel aged 14 months, 83% new French oak, sur-lies and stirred
Unblended, unfined, unfiltered; bottled September 1995
