Grapes: 100% Chardonnay

From the George Menini Estate in the Sebastopol Hills, where ocean breezes and Goldridge soils give small, concentrated berries with exceptional natural acidity. 

Paul Hobbs approaches Chardonnay with the same quiet rigor he brings to Pinot Noir — seeking clarity over weight and purity over power. The 2023 George Menini Estate bottling captures that balance perfectly: ripe fruit framed by freshness, texture, and precision.

Fermented in French oak with native yeasts and partial malolactic conversion, the wine rests on its lees for complexity and roundness. The result is a Russian River Chardonnay that feels both generous and taut — California sunshine guided by a Burgundian hand.

The nose opens with layers of white peach, lemon curd, and toasted almond, accented by hints of citrus blossom and wet stone. On the palate, it’s creamy yet lifted — stone fruit and Meyer lemon unfolding into a long, saline finish that hums with quiet energy.

James Suckling: 97 Points