Pinot Noir, Paul Hobbs Winery, Russian River Valley, CA, 2018

It began on an orchard in upstate New York. Growing up on the family farm, Paul Hobbs learned the discipline of working the land by planting, harvesting crops, and selling them at nearby farmer’s markets before school each morning. He experienced first-hand the influence of terroir on the character of fruit, when his father had him taste the same variety grown in different orchards several miles apart from one another. The diversity of flavors and textures made an impression on him and would later influence his approach to winemaking. One of eleven children, Paul helped his father achieve a lifelong desire to transform some of the farm’s acreage from apples, nuts and peaches to wine grapes.