These two showed up at KoKo, so thought I'd take them for a test drive:
1. Yacoubian-Hobbs Aghavnadzor Vayots Dzor/Armenia (14%; Voskehat/Khatuni/Qrdi/GaranDemck indigenous varieties; www.YacoubianHobbs.com) DoveCanyon/Vayots Dzor/Armenia 2018: Med.gold color; fairly fragrant appley/quince light floral/apple blossom rather stony/chalky quite interesting fairly attractive nose; bit soft/fat fairly stony/chalky/rather perfumed talc light appley/quince/floral/carnations rather lush/fleshy flavor; med.short soft/fat light stony/chalky/perfumed talc light appley/quince finish; a pleasant enough some interesting white but a bit on the bland/innocuous side; this is how PaulHobbs would make wine in Armenia if he could; interesting nose a bit Fiano like but fails to deliver on the palate; way overpriced at $27.50 (KK)
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2. Yacoubian-Hobbs Areni Rind VayotsDzor/Armenia (14.5%; Areni indigenous grape) 2016: Med.color; quite earthy/loamy some grapey/blackberry/licorice/some Refosco-like light toasty/oak rather interesting if rustic nose; soft/fat/some underacid fairly grapey/blackberry/Syrah-like/Refosco-like/licorice light toasty/oak some earthy/dusty/OV/loamy fairly rich/lush bit alcoholic/fumey flavor w/ modest chewey tannins; very long rather soft/fat some grapey/blackberry/licorice light toasty/oak bit alcoholic some earthy/loamy/rustic finish w/ light chewey tannins; reminds mostly of Friuli Refosco than anything but not the structure; this is how PaulHobbs would make Areni in Sonoma if he could; a rather interesting red but pretty overpriced. $32.50 (KK)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This is a partnership of the Armenian family Yacoubian and Paul Hobbs. These are all indigenous Armenian grape varieties for which I gather there has been no DNA work. Don't see from this example that Armenia, the birthplace of winemaking, is the next hot winemaking region in the World, though the views are quite scenic.
Tom