Winemaker Notes
Since beginning in 2002, The Hobo Wine Company has been a family owned and independently operated winery. In 2013, they converted an old warehouse in the historic Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa to be their production facility. This move allows them complete independence and full control over our winemaking and production.
Stylistically, Hobo Wine Company makes artisanally crafted wines of integrity and charm that respect their role at the table. This means they are true to character and origin, generally moderate in alcohol, and noticeable in acidity. The wines are made without commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria or other commercial additives and sulfur levels are always kept to a minimum.
There is a small tasting room at the winery, which is run on 100% local renewable energy, and they welcome visitors from around the world.
Camp Wines were created by the Hobo Wine Co. in 2011 to showcase the quality and value of Sonoma County wine. Camp works with top growers and vineyard managers in very high quality and responsibly farmed, though lesser known, vineyards throughout Sonoma County to produce delicious, approachable, and affordable wines.
Like Hobo, the Camp wines employ native yeasts and malolactic bacterias for the primary and secondary fermentations without the use of commercial fermentation aids or additives. The wines are aged in real oak barrels and/or stainless steel tanks vs. alternatives or flavoring agents.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.