2005 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)

Paul Hobbs's already sizable collection of single-vineyard bottlings continues to expand, with a pinot noir and chardonnay from the Ulises Valdez vineyard near Sebastopol; an estate-bottled pinot noir from Lindsay Vineyard, adjacent to the winery; a syrah from Kick Ranch east of Santa Rosa, and a chardonnay from the famed Ritchie Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. I tasted with assistant winemaker Pat Sullivan, who was especially excited to be working with fruit from the Valdez Vineyard. "Ulises is one of the most conscientious and perfectionist growers I've ever known," he told me. (Valdez owns a highly regarded vineyard management company and has recently introduced some of his own wines under the Valdez Family Winery label). Sullivan said that the 2005 harvest was one of the most drawn-out ever here, beginning on September 12 and continuing until November 2.