Paul Hobbs – Pinot Noir / 2023
Russian River Valley AVA – Sonoma County / California / USA 🇺🇸
Overview
100% Pinot Noir from select vineyard sites across the Russian River Valley. A refined, cool-climate expression that balances depth, structure, and elegance, showcasing Paul Hobbs’ precision-driven style.
Aromas & Flavors
Ripe red and dark cherry, raspberry, and plum, layered with subtle baking spice, vanilla, and a touch of forest floor. Oak is present but beautifully restrained, more of a whisper than a statement.
Mouthfeel
Medium+ body with a silky, polished texture. Structured yet graceful, with fine tannins and vibrant acidity. The wine moves seamlessly across the palate, fluid, lifted, and balanced.
Food Pairings
Duck breast, roasted chicken, mushroom risotto, grilled salmon, or earthy dishes with herbs.
Verdict
A Pinot Noir that bridges complexity and drinkability. Layered and structured, yet effortlessly elegant, this is Russian River precision at a high level.
🍷 Did You Know?
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir owes much of its finesse to diurnal shifts, warm days build ripeness, while cool, foggy nights preserve acidity and aromatic detail.
🍷 Personal Pick
This is where Pinot becomes expressive without trying too hard. The oak is dialed in, the texture is silky, and the balance is spot on. It doesn’t shout, it truly danced in my palate! Cheers! — 3 months ago
[Tasted on December 31, 2025 at Iggy’s in Nashville with Jay]
Dark raspberry fruit with underbrush, cola and spice. Creamy, aromatic wine. — 6 months ago
Bright lemon color with aromas of tropical, stone and citrus fruits with flinty notes. On the palate flavors of apple, peach and lemon citrus wrapped in smooth spicy oak tones and honey notes. Long finish, lively acidity, ending with fruit, notes of flinty mineral and savory citrus character. Nice!
# — 7 months ago
Deep gold in color.
Strong nose of citrus, apples, lemons, oak, vanilla, mediterranean spices, light earth, herbs and honeysuckle.
Medium plus in body and creamy, with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with yellow apples, citrus, pears, oak, light vanilla, spices, herbs, earth and white pepper.
Long finish with limes and marzipan notes.
This 3 year old Chardonnay from Russian River Valley is drinking very nicely now, although a bit young, and needs a couple of years in the bottle to mature properly.
Fruit forward and oaky, with nice balance. Complex and engaging, rich and entertaining.
Good right out of the bottle, and good by itself as a sipping wine.
Buttery, with a soft mouthfeel. Elegant and tangy. Feels like a young white Burgundy.
Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years, and see how it evolves.
Really enjoyed the nose, and better when not too cold.
100% Chardonnay grapes were aged in (30% new) French Oak barrels for 10 months.
13.6% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$40. — 12 days ago
Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim and medium intensity.
Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, light oak, spices, chocolates, dark coffee and peppercorn.
Long finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a delicious Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley. Complex with a soft mouthfeel. Elegant and fruit forward. Drinking at its peak right now, and a little metallic on the nose.
Robert Parker 93 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.
This 14 year old Pinot Noir is a good sipping wine, that also paired nicely with food.
14.6% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$120. — 2 months ago
Perfectly balanced, no browning on the edges, long finish — 4 months ago
Pale yellow color. Smells very citrusy and tropical, with a hint of some creaminess. On the first taste it was very bright, but had a richness on the finish. Definitely fruit forward, leans heavily towards tropical fruits like pineapple in the beginning. Has mineral/earthy notes towards the end. Very clean and dry. I really like this wine. Had it with spanish iberico ham, great combo. — 4 months ago
Dairyman Vineyard sits in the southern alluvial plains of the Russian River Valley near the ocean, a region where cooling fog comes in through the Petaluma Gap in the morning and once again in the evening. Medium Ruby color, with aromas of berries, tea and spices. On the palate flavors of raspberry and tart black cherry with herb, cedar and cinnamon. Fine tannins, medium+ finish with lively acidity, good structure, ending with fruit and cedar spice. — 6 months ago
Blend from Estate vineyards, pale lemon color with aromas of white fruits, citrus, vanilla and flinty notes. On the palate flavors of apple, peach, pear and floral citrus, vanilla, oak, well balanced with lively acidity. Long finish ending with nutty toasty biscuit spice, mineral and citrus notes. Will age a bit. — 7 months ago
Pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.
Fruity nose of red and blue fruits with light wood, herbs, light vegetables, spices and chocolates.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with black currants, blueberries, plums, cherries, earth, peppercorn, dark chocolates, herbs and light vegetables.
This 6 year old Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley is drinking very nicely now. Fruit forward, rich and nicely balanced. Complex and entertaining. Elegant and tangy.
Good right out of the bottle, and gets earthier as it opens up.
Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.
I had this vintage 3 years ago, and decided to let it age a bit longer, and it is drinking so much better now.
Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.
100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged for 10 months in (35% new) French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and unfined.
13.7% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$50. — 8 months ago
A blend from several vineyards, including Middle Reach, Green Valley, Santa Rosa Plain, and the Laguna Ridge area. Bright Ruby color, purple edges, with aromas of ripe fruits, floral and complex spice. On the palate concentrated flavors of raspberry, cherry and currants with pepper, tea, herbs, vanilla and oak, aged on French oak, soft tannins on well balanced structure. Full body, rich long finish, ending with spice, ripe fruit and oaky tones. Very Nice! — 2 days ago
Definitely one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons I have had this year - also one of the oldest. What a beautiful perfumed nose - red florals, red fruits, mulberry and Spice. A well balanced medium weight palate with those same aromatics coming through on the palate. Smooth resolved tannins. This is the last of a dozen bought on release in the early 2000’s from an excellent vintage. This is living proof of how good Margaret River Cabernet is for top quality Cab. 2 hours later that beautiful perfumed nose never quits. I wish I had a few more bottles left. I do have a magnum of 1996 which needs to be drunk. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. — a day ago
Deep Ruby color with aromas of black fruits, cedar and baking spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and raspberry fruit with cola and cinnamon spice notes. Full-bodied, fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, oak and an earthy mineral character. Nice! — 4 months ago
Dark Ruby with aromas of berry fruits, tangy herb, pepper and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and ripe cherry with black pepper spice, vanilla and earthy sweet herbs. Soft chewy tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy oak. Nice! — 5 months ago
Some lift on mid-palate with acid on finish. I’ll allow it. — 6 months ago
[Tasted on November 23, 2025 at Home with Michael, Rachel and Kat]
Raspberry and blackberry fruit, with violet and soft cedar notes. Wine Spectator rated 96 points and rated #4 in its Top 100 of 2025 list. — 7 months ago
"Odedi"
Reddish in color with medium intensity.
Fruity nose with cherries, fresh raspberries, light oak, spices, chocolates, earth, herbs and tobacco leaf.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with strawberries, raspberries, fresh cherries, light oak, chocolates, herbs, earth, light tobacco and black pepper.
Good length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy pomegranates.
This 3 year old Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley is starting to drink very nicely now.
Fruit forward and easy drinking, elegant and nicely balanced. Tangy and refreshing, complex and entertaining.
Will continue to age nicely in 5 years.
I gave it a light chill and had it all by itself.
100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged in (35% new) French Oak barrels for 9 months.
13.9% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$45. — 6 days ago