Paul Lato
"The Prospect" Sierra Madre Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast, California, USA
This is a young wine that I opened last weekend and enjoyed but, had to seal it up and put back into storage until tonight. It’s a touch faded (10%) but, like all young wine, resilient.
The nose reveals, ripe & candied; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, well extracted pomegranate, the blue fruits he does so well and I love in Pinot, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, raspberries, beautiful layered baking spices, medium intensity dark spices, steeped fruit tea, red fruit cola, hints of dry crushed rocks, limestone, dark, blue, purple flowers with hints of lavender.
The body is full with a fair amount of tannin presence. Nicely knitted structure, tension, length and balance for such a young Pinot. Ripe & candied; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, well extracted pomegranate, the blue fruits he does so well and I love in Pinot, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, touch of cooked rhubarb, raspberries, beautiful layered baking spices, medium intensity dark spice with shades of palate heat, steeped fruit tea, red fruit cola, saline notes, dry herbs, menthol, eucalyptus, hints of dry crushed rocks, volcanic minerals, dry & moist clay, limestone, leathery, wood staves, amazing dark, blue, purple flowers with hints of lavender. The acidity is excellent. The ripe, elegant, balanced, polished finish is delicious and persists nicely for minutes.
Paul makes beautiful expressions of Pinot, Rhône styles & Chardonnay. If you have not had them, well worth your time & investment to seek out.
Photos of; his Sierra Madre Vineyard...netted to keep the birds from eating his fruit, fruit near harvest time, my picture meeting Paul for the first time last week weekend at a “Matter of Taste” in Napa last weekend and their barrel room.
This is a young wine that I opened last weekend and enjoyed but, had to seal it up and put back into storage until tonight. It’s a touch faded (10%) but, like all young wine, resilient.
The nose reveals, ripe & candied; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, well extracted pomegranate, the blue fruits he does so well and I love in Pinot, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, raspberries, beautiful layered baking spices, medium intensity dark spices, steeped fruit tea, red fruit cola, hints of dry crushed rocks, limestone, dark, blue, purple flowers with hints of lavender.
The body is full with a fair amount of tannin presence. Nicely knitted structure, tension, length and balance for such a young Pinot. Ripe & candied; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, well extracted pomegranate, the blue fruits he does so well and I love in Pinot, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, touch of cooked rhubarb, raspberries, beautiful layered baking spices, medium intensity dark spice with shades of palate heat, steeped fruit tea, red fruit cola, saline notes, dry herbs, menthol, eucalyptus, hints of dry crushed rocks, volcanic minerals, dry & moist clay, limestone, leathery, wood staves, amazing dark, blue, purple flowers with hints of lavender. The acidity is excellent. The ripe, elegant, balanced, polished finish is delicious and persists nicely for minutes.
Paul makes beautiful expressions of Pinot, Rhône styles & Chardonnay. If you have not had them, well worth your time & investment to seek out.
Photos of; his Sierra Madre Vineyard...netted to keep the birds from eating his fruit, fruit near harvest time, my picture meeting Paul for the first time last week weekend at a “Matter of Taste” in Napa last weekend and their barrel room.
The 2016 Pinot Noir The Prospect Sierra Madre Vineyard is stunningly beautiful. Deeply-pitched aromatics and beautifully sculpted fruit elevate the Sierra Madre into the realm of the truly exceptional. Rose petal, mint and red/purplish berry fruit all come alive. The 2016 Prospect simply has it all. What a wine! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, September 2018)
The 2016 Pinot Noir The Prospect Sierra Madre Vineyard is stunningly beautiful. Deeply-pitched aromatics and beautifully sculpted fruit elevate the Sierra Madre into the realm of the truly exceptional. Rose petal, mint and red/purplish berry fruit all come alive. The 2016 Prospect simply has it all. What a wine! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, September 2018)
Nov 29th, 2018
A wonderful surprise! Elegant, balanced, nice concentration with great acidity.
A wonderful surprise! Elegant, balanced, nice concentration with great acidity.
1 person found it helpfulAug 7th, 2016Hospitality Director Big Basin Vineyards
Noon magnums. Rich opulence.
Noon magnums. Rich opulence.
1 person found it helpfulNov 7th, 2014
Wow ! Another Great Year! Probably the Best Year Produced!!! WoW
Wow ! Another Great Year! Probably the Best Year Produced!!! WoW
May 13th, 2014A lovely clove and raspberry, maybe some stone. Very nice acidity. My third pinot noir from Paul Lato Wines. The best: still "The Prospect". But maybe in three years...
A lovely clove and raspberry, maybe some stone. Very nice acidity. My third pinot noir from Paul Lato Wines. The best: still "The Prospect". But maybe in three years...
Jun 10th, 2021Amazingly well balanced and light. Works well with almost everything, including seafood.
Amazingly well balanced and light. Works well with almost everything, including seafood.
Feb 11th, 2020
Intense, delectable cherry fruit without any fat. Seemingly the sophistication of Burgundy with some of the immediate gratification of CA. Best West Coast pinot introduction (for me) in some time.
Intense, delectable cherry fruit without any fat. Seemingly the sophistication of Burgundy with some of the immediate gratification of CA. Best West Coast pinot introduction (for me) in some time.
Oct 15th, 2017