Wine Enthusiast's #13 Wine of the Year, 2024

"Lavish and intense aromas of Luxardo cherry, toasted spices and warm cherry pie draw the nose into this single-vineyard expression. There's crunchiness to the black raspberry base of the palate, where the fresh texture creates a fantastic sensation that goes beyond mere fruit and spice flavors" -Matt Kettmann, 98WE

"The 2023 wines are not critically reviewed yet...

"The 2022 Chardonnay Peake Ranch Vineyard Ma Jolie is a wine of substance and textural richness. Apricot, peach, chamomile, spice and a touch of reduction all grace this ample, large-scaled Chardonnay. It will be interesting to see how this develops in the coming years. I would give this a year or two in bottle, as it is pretty tightly wound today. (Drink between 2024-2030). These are some of the very best wines I have tasted in all the years I’ve followed Paul Lato. The Chardonnays are particularly terrific. There’s a bit more focus and tension in the whites these days, which makes the wines not only delicious but also more versatile at the dinner table. The Pinots are on the lighter side, a reflection of both the growing season and the decisions Lato made in response to those conditions. “We chose lighter extractions because we had mold in the vineyards that required spraying and constant diligence to keep in check. We did not want to push too hard,” Lato explained. Despite all of his success and experience, Lato retains the passion, ambition and enthusiasm more often found in younger professionals who are just getting started. The wines this year are truly memorable." Antonio Galloni, 92VM

"The 2023 wines are not critically reviewed yet...

"The 2023 wines are not critically reviewed yet...

"The 2023 wines are not critically reviewed yet...

"The 2021 Pinot Noir Drum Canyon Vineyard Stand by Me is deep, powerful and authoritative, with tons of textural resonance and class to burn. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, leather, menthol and licorice build effortlessly. There's terrific mid-palate density and fine, fine balance. Gorgeous. (Drink between 2024-2033)." -Antonio Galloni, 95VM

"The 2022 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit Zotovich Vineyard has some classic Sta. Rita Hills salty, mineral, savory notes as well as a core of both red and black fruits, some floral, gamey, and bouquet garni nuances, medium body, a round, layered mouthfeel, and fine tannins. It's very much in the more open-knit, perfumed, supple style of the vintage and is already drinking beautifully." -Jeb Dunnuck, 95JD

No reviews of the 2023 vintage yet...

No reviews of the 2023 vintage yet...

"Another Sta. Rita Hills release, the 2021 Pinot Noir Atticus John-Sebastiano Vineyard was destemmed and spent 16 months in 66% new French oak. It reveals a translucent ruby hue followed by an awesome bouquet of redcurrants, framboise, dried rose petals, and savory herbs. Medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant, it has incredible tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. Give bottles a year or two and enjoy over the following decade. (Drink between 2024-2035)." -Jeb Dunnuck, 96+JD

"Lighter ruby-hued, the 2021 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit Zotovich Vineyard comes from a great site in the Sta. Rita Hills and was destemmed and raised in new French oak. Wild strawberries, raspberries, rose petals, baking spices, and loamy soil notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, incredibly elegant mouthfeel and fine-grained tannins. It will evolve for 10-12 years, although it's fabulous today as well. (Drink between 2023-2035)" -Jeb Dunnuck, 96JD

"The 2021 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard is particularly elegant and detailed. Grapes come from 26-year-old Estrella clone vines, and the wine was matured for 19 months in 66% new French oak. It has an intense perfume of cassis, blueberry jam, mint chocolate, tapenade, aniseed and dark spices. The full-bodied palate has plush, pixelated tannins and a concentrated core of perfumed fruit. Focused acidity offers balance, and it has a long finish with a flourish of spicy accents. It develops dramatically as it spends time in the glass and will be long lived in the cellar. 160 cases were made. (Drink between 2025-2045)." -Erin Brooks, 97WA

"The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Festina Lente is sourced from Luc and Jodie Morlet's Coeur du Vallée vineyard in the heart of Oakville. Floral and nicely lifted, the 2021 is all class. Readers will find an understated, gracious valley floor Cabernet build on mid-weight structure and polish. All this needs is more Oakville character. Bright red-toned fruit, cedar, spice and dried herbs linger nicely. (Drink between 2024-2034)" -Vinous, 94VM