Producers: Paul Hobbs

Paul Hobbs grew up on a fruit farm specializing in growing apples, peaches and cherries. Here he learned from his father how different soils and microclimatic conditions can decisively influence the character of the same type of fruit. It was his father, too, who kindled the love of wine in him early on, when he had the then 15-year-old Paul take a sip of 1962 Yquem. This left such a striking impression on his palate that later, during his medical studies at the University of Nôtre Dame, he went to lectures and wine tasting sessions with the Botany professor. There, his romance with the wine began to flower, so that he finally broke off his medical studies and instead began to study viticulture at the University of California Davies. Since then, he lives up to his vision of "making rich, intense, dense wines that are as finesse, complex and authentic as they are and clearly show the unique personality of each terroir". The wines come from seven vineyards in Sonoma County and five in the Napa Valley. In terms of grape production, Paul focuses on the great, noble plants Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chardonnay. A minimally invasive cellar technique is his magic weapon. Multiple readouts at the sorting table, spontaneous fermentation and no fining or filtration finally result in wines as Paul Hobbs likes them to.