THE PARTNERSHIP
PAUL HOBBS
Regarded as an international visionary for his accomplishments in the vineyard and winery, Paul has combined his childhood roots on the family farm with an innovative scientific approach to refine the art of winemaking. He is recognized across the globe for breaking with tradition and forging new paths in the pursuit of excellence; both in stewardship of the land, and the crafting of wines that represent the purist concept of place.
Here, in Armenia, Paul has experienced a kind of 'homecoming' to a land unmarred by modern farming and industrial practices.
THE YACOUBIAN FAMILY
Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, brothers Vigen (right) and Vahe (left) Yacoubian cherish memories of the family’s annual excursions to the Bekaa Valley to stock up on food and wine for the winter. These vivid experiences shaped their understanding of wine as an essential expression of culture, place, and daily living—an ethos that continues to inform their work today.
As members of the widespread Armenian diaspora, they grew up deeply connected to their ancestral homeland through family stories and shared traditions. Settling in Southern California, they have channeled their love for their heritage into their professional careers - Vigen in education and Vahe in law - maintaining their engagement in Armenian cultural and community life.
Together, their experiences laid the groundwork for a broader vision: to reconnect with Armenia through wine and help to realize its untapped potential as both an historic and forward-looking winegrowing region, contributing to the country’s cultural and economic renewal.
“In early 2003, I ordered a pinot noir during dinner. The amazing wine was a 2001 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Cuvée Agustina. In my enthusiasm, I wrote an email to the winery. Early the next morning, I discovered that Paul had responded to my email personally. The seeds of an unexpected friendship had been sown.”
- Vigen Yacoubian
THE PARTNERSHIP
After an unlikely meeting via email in 2003, and ensuing friendship, the Yacoubian brothers invited Paul to visit Armenia. Knowing vaguely of the region's winemaking history, and characteristically curious, Paul traveled with the Yacoubians in 2005, visiting six of the ten provinces, and experiencing first-hand the sheer potential of Armenia's winegrowing regions.
Since the official establishment of the partnership in 2008, Paul and the Yacoubians travel several times annually to Vayots Dzor to oversee the farming and winemaking employed to produce Yacoubian-Hobbs wines. Together with their local team, they are introducing practices in the vineyard and winery to both produce the highest quality wines and to elevate the region as a whole. Honoring the history and potential of Armenian wine is a cornerstone of the collaboration.
