Paul Hobbs 2022 Chardonnay Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

Paul Hobbs’s 2022 Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley feels like a message carried on coastal mist. The nose opens with candied lemon peel and bright white florals before a crisp layer of Asian pear and white nectarine takes the lead. It’s inviting without show, matter-of-fact yet compelling. 

On the palate, richness meets clarity. There’s a creamy, viscous texture cloaking flavors of ripe pear and dried apricot, woven together with vibrant acidity. A whisper of flinty minerality keeps the wine grounded, its finish focused—not theatrical, but entirely present. 

Persisting through the glass is the sense of place. The Ross Station Estate—European-built, restored, nestled in Green Valley’s fog-laced sandy Goldridge soils—lends this Chardonnay its warmth and poise. Hobbs sources from six pedigreed sites, and his approach relies on minimal intervention, letting California’s coastal complexity lead. 

The 2022 vintage was shaped by meticulous care: whole-cluster pressing, native yeast fermentation, malolactic every step, and 10 months aging in 36% new French oak—crafted to serve the fruit, not overshadow it. 

This isn’t a wine built to dazzle—it’s a glass that earns its way into the conversation. Balanced, refined, with depth enough to pause over, yet light enough to refresh. That measured clarity—that’s what this Chardonnay brings to the table.