Freddy R. Troya

9.3

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! — 2 months ago

J B

9.2

Christmas gift from vendor. Eileen looked it up $55 — 3 months ago

Steve Messinger

9.2

Dark ruby, dense black fruit aromas of kirsch and sassafras w a lingering high note of bergamot. Intense black fruit flavors long finish showing a bit of alc — 4 months ago

Richard Russell

9.0

Spicy oak and pepper. Heavy wine
Tasty. Will drink again. — 4 months ago

Sam Friedland

9.1

Nice fruit, mellow tannins. Went well with Costco Australian mutton chops. — 5 months ago

Elayna Halikopter

9.6

Delicious. — 5 months ago

Elmars

9.3

Great cabernet sauvignon. Black fruit aromas, well balanced. Sipping while in Tobago. — 6 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Medium ruby color with a lighter rim. Aromas of red berries, violets, wet gravel and pine resin. The pallet is full of red cherry and blueberry fruit with additional notes of baking spices, black tea and dried herbs. Crisp acidity, plush and medium bodied. A bit of grippy tannin. Always very consistent. — 9 months ago

Rick Baraff

9.1

That’s some nice drinkin’ stuff (circa 2017). Thanks to the local somm, Steve, at our Whole Foods for the recom... it was their last bottle and he sacrificed. — 7 years ago

Patty Grimm

9.5

Luscious, velvety on the mouth..fruit forward...amazing!!! Going to buy a case tomorrow!!! Literally a $100 cab at an amazing price!! — 11 years ago

Akshay Venkitasubramanian

9.4

Amazing Pinot - not high on acidity or fruitiness- a perfect medium red wine with minerality — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2008 vintage. Yeah, some wackoid(s) gave this 100 points. Whatevs. Arrived at 70-72 degrees. Zero chill. Immediately plunged into an ice bath. Used a Durand to open but the über-dry cork just laughed at it and decided to pixelate into small, broken safety glass-styled fragments. Not the sign I was looking for. Here comes the funnel + screen + decanter to save the day. That screen needs a raise come review time. Put the decanter atop the ice bath with a protective serviette between and gave it another 5-6 mins in the chill. Color not quite yellow Chartreuse but pretty close. Tasted at approx 58-59 degrees. Like a trip to the confectionery + bakery. Whoa! Medium/medium-heavy body and this was popping. Splashes and suggestions of fruits, bread products and baking spices without an overriding, final boss. Phenomenal. Can’t give it a Wilt but it did not suck and should drink as such for at least another half-decade. Have had plenty of Marcassin whites and reds and this was the best of the lot. Transcendent. For all that…? 9.6. Soviet…er…Russian judge mode deployed. 3.6.25. — 3 months ago

Steve Mitchell

9.2

This 2023 paired well with my cheeseburger and fries. Dark ruby color, nice peppery Zin and medium tannins with a smooth finish. — 3 months ago

K L

9.3

Classic. Treat. — 4 months ago

with Matt

Chris Blanchard

9.1

2023 vintage - it opened brighter than expected with bold ripe flavors and more fruit forward than expected. It was a nice surprise. After 30 minutes the flavors balanced a bit and tasted less bright and fruity and more balanced. The wife and I enjoyed the bottle. — 4 months ago

Makhanna Seerattan

9.6

Really nice, flavorful but felt light. Mom liked. Rich liked. — 5 months ago

Adam

9.5

Less bold than a typical CS, which I liked. Smooth and rich. Loved the flavor profile. Will gladly buy again. — 6 months ago

Donna Czekner

10

Bought from Far Niente in Napa, 2025. We both love it. — 9 months ago

with Jim

Brian R

9.3

Starting to find that good California pinots are better after a few years or a few days after opening or both. — 8 years ago

Michael Short

9.2

why she left me I’ll never know... but I get close to finding the answer in this bottle. saluti — 8 years ago

Kim Bassett

9.7

Really nice. Via Rainbow Grocery, maybe? — 3 months ago

Ericsson

9.0

Ridge Vineyards Wine Mixer at Thyme Restaurant — 4 months ago

Ali Aboudaya

8.9

Tasteful and delicious — 4 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.4

Nose: soft elegant plum. Hint of herbs. Florals.

Palate elegant plum. Some cocoa. So elegant. Seamless.

Very Burgundian.

*

25% list OC.

The source 43.50. Can ship one case . — 3 months ago

Norman

9.1

Better after it opened. Time to drink. Should have earlier. — 4 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim. Not showing age at all.

Beautiful nose of black currants, blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, light eucalyptus and licorice.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, light earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, black pepper, spices and cola.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Knights Valley in Sonoma County. Rich and elegant. Fruit forward and very complex.

Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Napa Cabernet based Bordeaux blend.

Good right out of the bottle, and much better after 45 minutes in the decanter. Really gorgeous once it opens up.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Wine Advocate 95 points. Wine Spectator 93 points.

Great by itself as a sipping wine or with food, like a big piece of steak.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

15% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$175. — 5 months ago

Ericsson

9.3

Been a while since I last opened one these bad boys. Still young but great bottle. Tons of precision. — 7 months ago

Erin Joyce

9.2

Waited a few years to drink the 2017 and it’s even better than I remembered. In times like these it’s important to savor the floral bouquet and stone fruit deliciousness of this wine and essentials like Clorox bleach. — 6 years ago

with Sandra

Cal

9.5

Bought this when we got engaged in Nappa. Kept it for 10 years. Amazing to drink on our 10 year anniversary. Awesome wine. — 8 years ago

Jeff LaCamera

9.7

Awesome wine. — 13 years ago