From little acorns

Published on Wednesday 12 November 2008 12:14

ON my last visit to South America, the name I heard mentioned in almost every winery was Paul Hobbs. When I discovered that this eminent Californian was coming to Scotland to show off his Californian and Argentine wines, I was very keen to meet him.

With his own winery in California, five consulting jobs in Chile, 12 in Argentina and a new one in Hungary, Hobbs is clearly much sought-after. I was surprised to find him such a humble relaxed guy.

"My first taste of wine was as an altar boy," he laughs. "It tasted awful." His passion for wine began when his father, a farmer near Lake Ontario who rarely let alcohol into the house, served a top sauternes, Chateau d'Yquem 1962, from paper cups. "I was really struck by its amazing flavours," he says.

Hobbs went to medical school, but was sidetracked by botany and wine appreciation classes. He persuaded his father to convert their apple orchards into vineyards – and went off to study oenology. His first job with Robert Mondavi, where he became lead winemaker on the prestigious Opus One project, was a great training ground. He set up his own label in California's Napa and Sonoma valleys in 1991.

"I first went to South America in 1988," he says. "Everyone was raving about Chile's potential, but I was disappointed – all huge industrial wineries and valley floor plantings." He was persuaded by Nicolas Catena's brother to cross the Andes into Argentina.

"I remember arriving in Mendoza. I jumped out of the car when I saw the small vines, tasted the fruit and it was so good – but the wines were god-awful then." Hobbs worked as a consultant for Catena for ten years before setting up his own Argentine winery, Vinas Cobos, in 1999. He was one of the first to develop Tupungato, now an established high altitude vineyard area in Mendoza, and his current project is to find new potential vineyards in San Juan, to the north.

Hobbs's style is distinctive – you either love it or hate it. "I am not afraid of oak," he admits. "I love the feeling of ripe sweet tannins – I am always the last person to pick and I crop very low yields."

The result is big, intensely rich, powerful wines – I can see why wine expert Robert Parker likes them so much (he gave Hobbs 100/100 for his Californian cabernet sauvignon).

His Argentine wines were a little oaky for my palate, and not easily accessible. I was very impressed, however, with his single vineyard Marchiori Bramare Malbec, but the price is quite steep.

His Californian wines were more elegant, accessible and balanced. These are beautifully made, but again – expensive.

Taste Test

Argentina

FELINO CHARDONNAY 2007

(9.99)

Subtle aroma, light citrus, crisp, subtle oak, good length. 13/20

FELINO MALBEC 2007

(9.99)

Ripe herby aromas, initially good palate, tannins too firm and prominent. 13/20

BRAMARE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006

(25)

Deep blackcurrant, rich smooth, succulent, well-integrated tannins, lovely length. 14/20

BRAMARE MALBEC 'MARCHIORI VINEYARD' 2005

(40)

My favourite: intense liquorice, cedary, blackberry aromas, deep concentrated fruits, spicy, intense, beautiful length – drink in five years. 18/20

Cobos malbec 2005

(80)

Pepper, dark chocolate, deep fruit, too oaky, needs time to soften. 16.5/20

California

CROSSBARN CHARDONNAY 2005

(24.99)

Citrusy, slick, minerally, crisp, good balance and subtle oak. 14/20

PAUL HOBBS PINOT NOIR 2006

(39)

Cherry, forest fruit, herby notes, quite pure polished refreshing style. 15/20

PAUL HOBBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005

(180)

Earthy, cedary, cassis, lovely texture – could take on a top Bordeaux. 17/20

Stockists: Henderson Wines, Sideways Wines, Fine Wine Co and Peter Green, all in Edinburgh.

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MACON VILLAGES 2007 Domaine Mallory & Benjamin Talmard

(8.50, The Wine Society www.thewinesociety.com)

Rich, satisfying beautifully elegant, unoaked, pure fruit- driven Macon.

BLASON DE BOURGOGNE, ST VERAN 2007

(7.99, reduced from 9.99, Waitrose until 2 December)

Excellent value, succulent, citrusy, unoaked white Burgundy, beautifully crisp and classy.

JORDAN CHARDONNAY 2007

(9.25, South African Wines, www.sawines.com)

One of the best Cape chardonnays around; hints of gentle oak, with minerally undertones; very elegant.