2016 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Goldrock Estate

More lemon curd, honeysuckle, pineapple, and exotic flower characteristics emerge from the 2016 Chardonnay Goldrock Estate and it’s a riper, sexy, voluptuous beauty. From a site purchased in 2016 consisting of decomposed sandstone soils, right next to the Peay Vineyard, this full-bodied effort has building richness, impeccable balance, and the purity and class that’s present in all of Hobbs’ wines. These latest releases from Paul Hobbs are pretty much sensational across the board and Hobbs’ finds a rare mix of purity and elegance matched to richness and concentration that hits all my sweet spots. Hobbs commented that 2016 was a perfect vintage where everything came together easily, and the resulting wines have a terrific sense of elegance, purity an balance that make them already irresistible, yet will also allow them to age gracefully. In addition, the lineup is easy to understand; Hobbs makes an appellation blend Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and two single vineyards of each variety.

This is the first vintage of this new single-vineyard Chardonnay from Paul Hobbs. And wow—what a blockbuster of a nose! The 2016 Chardonnay Goldrock Estate gives up intense notes of warm apricots, pineapple, pink grapefruit and guava backed up by gingerbread, toasted cashews, allspice and lemon zest nuances. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with gregarious stone fruit and tropical flavors with spicy sparks and fantastic length. 191 cases were made.

An addition to the range, the 2016 Chardonnay Goldrock Estate emerges from a parcel in Annapolis. Intensely phenolic and savory in profile, the Goldrock is quite different in style from the other wines in the range. Deep and layered, the 2016 is going to need time to unwind and show everything it has. Apricot, baked apple and sage infuse this resonant, expressive Chardonnay. I can't wait to see where this goes over the next year and years.