Paul Hobbs

Paul Hobbs Winery is the culmination of a lifetime spent understanding the relationship between land and wine. Raised on a family orchard in upstate New York, Paul Hobbs developed an early appreciation for terroir, a lesson first learned by tasting how the same apple variety could express itself differently depending on where it was grown. That fascination with site-specific expression shaped his approach to winemaking, leading him to study chemistry at Notre Dame before earning a master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis. His early career included working alongside Robert Mondavi on the inaugural Opus One team and consulting for prestigious wineries across Napa Valley and beyond. In 1991, he established Paul Hobbs Winery with a focus on single-vineyard wines that reflect the distinct characteristics of California’s most compelling sites.  

From the first releases sourced from Napa’s Hyde Vineyard and Sonoma’s Richard Dinner Vineyard to the establishment of the Katherine Lindsay Estate in 1998, Paul Hobbs has remained dedicated to a meticulous, vineyard-driven approach. His team cultivates a diverse portfolio of sites across Sonoma and Napa, working in harmony with nature to highlight the nuances of each block, row, and vine. With minimal intervention in the cellar, the winery’s philosophy is rooted in preserving the integrity of the fruit, allowing the land’s unique energy—its soil, climate, and seasonality—to shine through in every bottle. Over three decades later, Paul continues to refine his craft, leading a team that shares his commitment to producing wines of depth, elegance, and unmistakable sense of place.