Welcome to Hillick & Hobbs.

Although their operation began in 2013 with a tremendous amount of sitework, high-density planting, and subsequent vineyard management on a most southeastern plot presiding over Seneca lake, their 2019 vintage was their first release.

The name of the winery pays homage to Paul Hobb’s mother [Joan Hillick] and father [Edward Hobbs], who met at Cornell as students, and instilled in him a love for farming in upstate New York.

Instead of continuing the family tradition locally as a third generation farmer, Paul was encouraged to study wine at UC Davis and he catapulted his career after quickly joining the inaugural winemaking team at Opus One [founded in 1979].

It was here that he first understood the unique power of partnerships in winemaking, blending knowhow from one part of the world with unique terroir in another part of the world. In the case of Opus One, this was an innovative collaboration between Baron Philippe de Rothchild – the owner of legendary Chateau Mouton Rothchild in Bordeaux – and Robert Mondavi and his vineyards in Napa.

Over the last 40+ years he has been producing or consulting on two harvests annually, eventually across nine countries. He currently has winemaking interests on four continents. Paul’s impact on the global winemaking world blossomed after he started his eponymous winery in Sonoma in 1991. And among all the many things he’s accomplished, he is perhaps best recognized for helping grow and elevate the Argentinian-made Malbec varietal over several decades after a visit in 1988. His knowhow applied with the exceptional high-altitude terroir was highly influential.

Will he, and his brother David with whom he’s collaborating, have a similar impact on Riesling from the Finger Lakes?

I was fortunate to meet and chat with Paul before the winery formally opened, and a few things really stood out to me. First, he has a profound admiration for our region and for Riesling – his ‘first love’ – and is determined to go head to head with Germany and Alsace in producing the greatest examples in the world.

Second, it surprised me to learn how audacious of a project he considers this to be – notably due to the aggressively steep and very thick slate soil he’s planted in – especially given the fact he literally has made wine all over the world! And that said, the fact that he can make wine pretty much anywhere in the world and still decided to plant roots here is a massive confidence-booster for our region.

I am excited that they are here… and I am even more excited for you to discover their wine!

— Cheers, RP