WTN: Two Armenian Wines....(short/boring)

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)
_______________
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)
______________________________
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

[David M. Bueker]

If you're troubled and you can't relax
Close your eyes and think on this
If the rumors floating in your head all turn to facts
Close your eyes and think on this
Armenia, city in the sky
Armenia, city in the sky

[Jenise]

I've had wines from two or three different Armenian producers. Not this one (that damned Paul Hobbs, does he ever stay home?), but the last bottle I owned I took to Vancouver in August as a 'mystery white' at an otherwise merlot themed event, a 2016 blend of voskehat and garandmak (same grape you name, different spelling), that presented like a very serious Chablis. Bill Spohn and crew were pretty impressed. Bottom line: I paid mid-30's for it, and it was definitely not overpriced. The Areni from the same producer/vintage showed more like pinot noir. Judge not Armenian wines by what you had, there's better.

I've had wines from two or three different Armenian producers. Not this one (that damned Paul Hobbs, does he ever stay home?), but the last bottle I owned I took to Vancouver in August as a 'mystery white' at an otherwise merlot themed event, a 2016 blend of voskehat and garandmak (same grape you name, different spelling), that presented like a very serious Chablis. Bill Spohn and crew were pretty impressed. Bottom line: I paid mid-30's for it, and it was definitely not overpriced. The Areni from the same producer/vintage showed more like pinot noir. Judge not Armenian wines by what you had, there's better.

Well, Jenise.....when you only have one data point, how else are ya gonna judge??
But I'm a LosAlamos guy...sometimes we make judgements based on zero data points!!
PaulHobbs visited the region & fell in love w/ the scenery & the people & saw it has an opportunity to make
Armenia famous. I find, across the board, any wine w/ a PaulHobbs name on the label is overpriced.
Tom

[Jenise]

LOL, Tom.

And same on Paul Hobbs' various projects. He tends to like a lot of oak as well. I stay away.