Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022
THE M&V WINE CLUB • EXPLORE THE BOTTLE
Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022
The wine at a glance
The 2022 Russian River Valley Chardonnay combines fresh citrus, orchard and tropical-fruit aromas with a textured, creamy palate and lively acidity. The 2022 wine received 94 points from James Suckling and 93 points each from Jeb Dunnuck, Vinous and Wine Spectator. It is different from the separately bottled Ross Station Estate Chardonnay.
Aromas
2022 Russian River Valley winemaker notes: fresh citrus peel, Asian pear, juicy apple, tropical fruit and gardenia. Critics also describe fresh pineapple and white flowers.
Palate
2022 Russian River Valley: rich orchard and citrus fruit with creamy brioche-like texture, measured French oak and lively acidity. Reviewers note tangerine, pineapple, apricot and mineral freshness.
Finish
Fresh, lingering and well-integrated, with citrus acidity balancing fruit weight and oak texture and a savory mineral accent.
Food pairings
Editorial ideas: seared scallops, roast chicken with herbs, grilled salmon, mushroom pasta and Gruyère.
Watch a review
Suitable video review or winery video to be selected.
About Paul Hobbs Winery
Paul Hobbs founded his namesake winery in 1991, building on his training and experience with leading California vineyards. The winery is based in Sebastopol and is known for vineyard-led bottlings that aim to convey the distinctions of site and climate.
Chardonnay is an important part of the estate's portfolio, particularly in the Russian River Valley, where maritime fog and afternoon sunshine help shape ripeness and acidity. The M&V White Collection currently has a draft profile for the 2022 Russian River Valley Chardonnay based on supplied retail information. The exact bottle label still needs verification, because Paul Hobbs also produces a distinct 2022 Ross Station Estate Chardonnay, with its own official technical sheet and vineyard-specific tasting profile.
A focus on place: Russian River Valley and estate Chardonnay
At Paul Hobbs Winery, regional blends and individual estate bottlings express different aspects of Sonoma County. The Russian River Valley Chardonnay brings together selected vineyard sites across the appellation, whereas Ross Station Estate is a separate Chardonnay from a historic vineyard planted on Goldridge sandy-loam soils in the Green Valley area. The site lies near an old stagecoach stop and is one of the winery's important estate properties.
The winery describes its Chardonnay approach as whole-cluster pressing of cool grapes, barrel fermentation with indigenous yeasts, aging on lees, spontaneous malolactic fermentation and selective French-oak use. The resulting wines can combine rich orchard and stone-fruit flavors with ocean-influenced acidity and mineral texture. Exact vintage-specific specifications vary by bottling.
Further reading: Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Paul Hobbs' estate vineyards.
Watch: Paul Hobbs 2022 Ross Station Estate Chardonnay tasting notes
Official winery video · Paul Hobbs Winery · Published July 24, 2024 · 1 minute 40 seconds. This tasting-note video introduces the 2022 Ross Station Estate Chardonnay from the Green Valley area of the Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California. It is a separate estate-designated wine from the general Russian River Valley Chardonnay in the M&V Wine Club preview.
Watch the full 2022 Ross Station Estate Chardonnay tasting video on YouTube. Closed captions are available; timestamps below are approximate, based on YouTube's automatic English captions.
Jump to the wine details in the video
- 0:06 — Introducing the 2022 Ross Station Estate Chardonnay
- 0:12 — Goldridge soils and dry-farmed vineyard conditions
- 0:29 — Pale straw color and green highlights
- 0:45 — Aromatic character and freshness
- 0:57 — Red apple skin and crisp orchard-fruit notes
- 1:08 — Tasting the palate
- 1:14 — Crushed-rock minerality, tart apple and floral notes
- 1:24 — The wine's tension and lingering character
What the winery's tasting video reveals
In the video, the presenter highlights Goldridge soils near the winery and explains their suitability for dry farming. The wine shows a light straw appearance with a greenish tint. Its aroma is described as restrained yet expressive, particularly with red apple skin and crisp orchard-fruit characteristics. The palate brings tart apple, floral lift and a wet, crushed-rock mineral impression, with notable tension and persistence.
The accompanying official YouTube description adds clover, spring blossoms, white peach, guava, Fuji apple and baking spice to the aromatic profile, along with a crème-caramel and butterscotch dimension on the palate. It also describes a saline, structured finish. These are producer descriptions of the Ross Station Estate wine, not tasting notes for the separate regional Russian River Valley Chardonnay.
2022 Ross Station Estate: technical background
The winery's separate 2022 Ross Station Estate technical sheet identifies 100% Chardonnay, hand harvesting September 2–12, indigenous-yeast barrel fermentation, sur-lie aging and bâtonnage, spontaneous malolactic fermentation, and 18 months in French oak (30% new). It lists Hudson-Wente and Calera clonal selections, Goldridge fine sandy-loam soils, and bottling unfined and unfiltered in January 2024.
The technical-sheet details and this video describe the same Ross Station Estate wine. We will not transfer them into the broader Russian River Valley Chardonnay profile unless the actual White Collection bottle is confirmed to be Ross Station Estate.
Video details and editorial sources
Video: 2022 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay, Ross Station Estate Tasting Note Video · Channel: Paul Hobbs Winery · Original publication: July 24, 2024 · Duration: 1:40. This summary is based on the publisher's video metadata, description and auto-generated English captions, checked against the uploaded 2022 Ross Station Estate winery technical sheet. Auto-captions contain occasional transcription errors; this page uses paraphrased descriptions rather than a verbatim transcript.
Paul Hobbs Winery: explore the Chardonnay releases
Paul Hobbs Winery produces multiple Chardonnays from Sonoma County, including a broader Russian River Valley release and the separate Ross Station Estate wine. Their vineyard sources, tasting profiles and technical details must be kept distinct. Mash & Vine's White Collection currently links to the 2022 regional Chardonnay while the exact label is being confirmed. The Ross Station Estate technical sheet and official video are provided on this winery page as clearly identified material about the estate wine.
Find the related wine profile: Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022. The White Wine Collection provides an overview of the bottles and the in-store offer.
Return to the M&V Wine Club homepage for the full introductory selection. Individual wine details are identified as verified or pending where necessary, and retail availability is confirmed by Mash & Vine Market.
Tasting notes: 2022 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
Aromas: A citrus-peel opening is followed by crisp Asian pear, juicy apple and tropical-fruit notes. Floral gardenia adds lift to the wine’s orchard-fruit character.
Palate: A creamy texture balances bright acidity and ripe fruit. Professional reviewers also highlight pineapple, apricot, tangerine, white flowers and integrated French-oak spice.
Finish: Long and fresh, with a gently savory mineral quality and enough acidity to counterbalance the rich, ripe fruit. These are paraphrased 2022 winemaker and professional-review descriptions from Wine.com’s vintage-specific listing.
Wine specifications and winemaking
| Detail | 2022 Russian River Valley |
|---|---|
| Producer | Paul Hobbs Winery |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Variety | Chardonnay |
| Region | Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California |
| Bottle | 750 mL |
| Oak | French oak; Jeb Dunnuck reports approximately 30% new oak for this 2022 bottling |
| Producer’s winemaking approach | Cold whole-cluster pressing, indigenous-yeast barrel fermentation, lees aging with stirring, spontaneous malolactic fermentation, unfined and unfiltered bottling |
Paul Hobbs describes the Russian River Valley Chardonnay production approach as whole-cluster pressing followed by indigenous-yeast barrel fermentation, lees contact and French-oak maturation. That winery page currently describes the wine series rather than a technical sheet for the 2022 vintage. The 30% new-oak figure is independently attributed to Jeb Dunnuck’s 2022 review.
Professional critic ratings: 2022
The following ratings are for the 2022 Russian River Valley bottling, not the separately produced Ross Station Estate Chardonnay. They are independent wine critic scores, not reviews of Mash & Vine Market.
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| James Suckling | 94 / 100 |
| Jeb Dunnuck | 93 / 100 |
| Vinous | 93 / 100 |
| Wine Spectator | 93 / 100 |
| Wine Enthusiast | 91 / 100 |
| Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate | 90 / 100 |
Professional critics describe expressive apple, tangerine and stone-fruit flavors, lively acidity, measured oak influence and a creamy but focused texture. Ratings are listed by Wine.com and K&L Wine Merchants.
Important: Russian River Valley vs. Ross Station Estate
The winery produces both wines, but they are not interchangeable. The 2022 Russian River Valley Chardonnay reviewed above is a regional bottling. Your separately supplied official technical sheet is for 2022 Ross Station Estate Chardonnay, a single-estate wine in the Russian River Valley. Its harvest, vineyard facts and exact maturation regime must not be assigned to this broader regional wine.
The Ross Station Estate sheet specifically states Hudson-Wente and Calera clones, September 2–12 harvesting, 18 months in French oak with 30% new barrels, and aromas including white peach, guava, Fuji apple and baking spice. These belong to Ross Station Estate only. Explore Paul Hobbs’ estate vineyards to see how the producer distinguishes its individual sites.
The M&V White Collection’s Paul Hobbs bottle has not been photographed or label-verified. Before publishing this wine as part of the collection, confirm whether its label identifies Russian River Valley Chardonnay or Ross Station Estate Chardonnay.
Food-pairing ideas
Suggested pairings include seared scallops, herb-roasted chicken, grilled salmon, creamy mushroom pasta and Gruyère. These are editorial recommendations reflecting the wine’s acidity, mineral character and smooth texture, not claims of official winery pairings.
Frequently asked questions
Where is this Chardonnay made? Russian River Valley, an AVA in Sonoma County, California, where Pacific fog moderates daytime warmth.
Is it the same as Ross Station Estate? No. Ross Station Estate is a site-designated Paul Hobbs wine with its own vineyard and vintage-specific technical sheet.
Is the wine available through Mash & Vine’s White Collection? The collection announcement includes Paul Hobbs Chardonnay; the exact bottle and in-store availability must be confirmed with the store.
Research and attribution
2022 Paul Hobbs Russian River Chardonnay — Wine.com tasting notes and reviews; Paul Hobbs Winery — Russian River Valley Chardonnay and general production approach; K&L 2022 review scores; Paul Hobbs estate-vineyard descriptions; 2022 Ross Station Estate — separate wine. External retailer prices are not Mash & Vine’s in-store prices.
Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022 in the White Collection
The current profile uses the 2022 Russian River Valley regional Chardonnay while Mash & Vine confirms the exact bottle included in the White Collection. Paul Hobbs also produces a different 2022 Ross Station Estate Chardonnay. The winery profile explains this estate wine, its Goldridge soils and an official tasting-note video; those technical details and scores should not be substituted for the general Russian River Valley bottling.
Explore the Paul Hobbs Winery history, browse all bottles in the M&V White Wine Collection, or return to the Wine Club homepage. This is an in-store wine discovery resource; specific inventory and purchase terms should be confirmed with Mash & Vine.
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These wine profiles support Mash & Vine Market’s curated, in-store collections. Availability, exact vintages, and future club details will be confirmed by the store.