![Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir West Sonoma Coast 2022 (Sonoma Coast, California) - [JS 95] [JD 94] [WE 94] [WA 93]](http://artisan.wine/cdn/shop/files/PHWSCPN_{width}x.jpg?v=1708724546)
Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir West Sonoma Coast 2022
(Sonoma Coast, California) - [JS 95] [JD 94] [WE 94] [WA 93]
Regular price $95.00 Sale price $79.99 Save $15.01
About the winery:
In 1991, pioneering winemaker Paul Hobbs established his namesake winery in Sebastopol, California. The winery exemplifies his vision and dedication to sustainability and his on-going quest to refine the art of winemaking with minimal intervention, yet meticulous care.
The Estate: Located in the far northwestern corner of Sonoma County in the tiny settlement of Annapolis, this rugged and remote vineyard sits astride the second coastal mountain range, 550 ft above sea level. Five miles from the Pacific Ocean at the western edge of California viticulture, onshore breezes regularly transport cool air and fog which is moderated by the site’s position atop a ridge allowing enough warming sun to create superlative growing conditions for pinot noir and chardonnay.
About the wine:
Tasting Notes
Lovely ruby red shades catch the eye, while exotic notes of tart Morello cherry and pungent pine forest swirl with fresh raspberry. Bright, pure fruit carries through on the palate, layered with earthy hints of damp loam and rocky salinity, all backed by the elegant, fine-grained tannins and stylish grip that cool West Sonoma Coast offers at its best.
Vineyard
▪ Clonal selection: 115, 777, 114
▪ Rootstocks: 101-14, rg
▪ Sites: Various exposures and soils
▪ Yield: 3.7 tons/acre
Growing Season
The ‘22 growing season presented a few challenges—especially down the home stretch—reminding us that adversity often breeds surprising insights and learnings that an otherwise relatively benign path cannot. The ’22 vintage showcases the resilience of diligently farmed vineyards. Therein lies the silver lining. Winter and early spring brought little rain and mild temperatures across Napa and Sonoma Counties leading to an early bud break, and a strong, well-defined bloom. During the first week of June, a surprise deluge caused moderate berry shatter (i.e., coulure (fr.) a failure of grapes to develop after flowering) in certain vineyards. That, combined with dry soils, kept yields low and berries small, a promising setup for concentrated color and flavors. A temperate summer helped produce uniform ripening and our reliably cool nights, with diurnal dips into the 50s, kept acidity levels high and bright. Harvest commenced on August 22—our earliest harvest on record—followed swiftly by a final heat spell in early September with temperatures peaking at 117°F at some locations. Early harvests tend to be compressed, and the heat accelerated its pace. Despite the travails, however, the wines are deeply flavored, layered, and complex, with superb balance and energy.
Harvest
▪ Hand-harvested at night, shears only
▪ Harvest dates: September 6 - 16
Winemaking
▪ Hand-sorted while still cold from the field
▪ 14% whole cluster inclusion
▪ Fermented in small, open-top stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts
▪ 5-day cold soak, 16 day maceration
▪ Gentle punchdowns
▪ Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel
▪ Aged 11 months in French oak barrels; 27% new
▪ Bottled unfined and unfiltered; August 2023
Ratings & Reviews:
95 Points - James Suckling:
"Flowers, pure fruit, sandalwood, and perfume. Medium body, with such lively fruit character. So bright. Spice. Purity of fruit. So much going on here. All about the energy and liveliness here. Lovely length. Drink or hold." (Nov 2023)
94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
The 2022 Pinot Noir West Sonoma Coast has a gorgeous perfume of wild raspberries, fresh flowers, anise, and fresh forest herbs. Medium-bodied, with a lovely structure, it’s long on the palate and has a fresh feel throughout. It’s a beautiful wine, and I would be thrilled to have a case sitting in my cellar for the next several years. Drink 2024-2036.
94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
There's lovely freshness to the cherry and raspberry aromas on the nose, as if they're being macerated in the glass. The palate brings all of that juiciness, along with black tea, fresh loam and cedar flavors on a minute-plus finish.
93 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Pinot Noir West Sonoma Coast is bursting with pomegranate and briar fruit, and it has loads of fine accents including allspice, licorice, sagebrush, tea leaves and blood orange. The light-bodied palate features nuanced, layered fruit. It has gently chalky tannins, bright acidity and a long finish laced with spice. This boasts a lot of complexity for such a lifted, ethereal frame. 1,600 cases were produced, and it will be released in March of 2024." – Erin Brooks (Dec 2023)