"The 2013 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is one of the most aromatically expressive, flamboyant wines in this range. Then again, it's John Sebastiano. Rose petal, mint, crushed flowers and sweet raspberries take on silky shades of expression and nuance in this undeniably attractive, irresistible Pinot from Ryan Deovlet. (Drink between 2015-2021)" -Vinous, 93VM
"Made in a more generous, rounded and sexy style, the 2014 Pinot Noir Mt Carmel Vineyard Blocks 3 & 5 offers layers of rose petal, spring flowers, framboise and spice in a medium-bodied, layered, already approachable package...Enjoy this downright fabulous Pinot over the coming 8-9 years." -Wine Advocate, 96WA
"The 2015 Pinot Noir Vanguard is a stunningly beautiful, dramatic wine endowed with massive flavor intensity and sheer richness, featuring inky blue/purplish fruit, menthol, licorice and spice. There is not much subtlety here, and yet this wine is simply glorious. Fruit sources are Sanford & Benedict, Radian and Bentrock. (Drink between 2020-2030)" -Vinous, 95VM
"Sautéed apple, salted butter, brioche and toasted bread notes all emerge from this 2015 Chardonnay Belle Du Jour Duvarita Vineyard, which comes from a great site in the Sta. Rita Hills and was fermented and aged in 50% new oak. Rich, supple, elegant, yet stacked Chardonnay that's already impossible to resist. I love its concentration and I suspect it will evolve nicely for a decade or more. Paul Lato is unquestionably one of my favorite winemakers in the Central Coast, and I continue to love his wines." Jeb Dunnuck 95JD
Not yet reviewed
"The 2016 Pinot Noir Zotovich Family Vineyard is a beauty that was mostly destemmed and spent 15 months in 30% new French oak. Ripe black raspberries, strawberries, crushed violets, incense, and Asia spice notes all flow to a medium-bodied, supple, seamless effort that has fine tannins and plenty of acidity. It's still tight and closed on the palate, so give bottles another year or three. It's a smoking good wine. (Drink starting 2021)" - -Jeb Dunnuck, 94+JD
Never released to the public, this is the wine that started it all. Racines' first release was a single barrel of Sanford & Benedict fruit, a test run of 250-year-old winemaking tradition on a new site in the Sta. Rita Hills' most storied vineyard, Sanford & Benedict. Ten years later, this wine shows all fo the rustic dried cherry notes you expect from this site, but with a bit of herbal power that is a De Montille specialty, largely coming from the 10-year aging of the 30% stem inclusion. Magical, wax-capped (they only did this in year one!) and youthful, this is a Pinot you do not want to miss tasting!
"The 2017 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is a sumptuous, bold wine. Red and purplish berry fruit, blood orange and exotic spice notes all build as the 2017 shows off its ample personality. Super-expressive and plush, with striking depth and exceptional balance, the 2017 is expressive today. Saline notes typical of this site provide a fabulous counterpoint to the natural richness of the year. This is a fabulous debut for the Sta. Rita Hills Pinot, a new wine in the range. Even better, the 2017 is a screaming value in high end wine. (Drink between 2020-2032)" -Vinous, 95VM
"Lato's Grenache traditionally plays in the more elegant end of the spectrum, yet it always shows plenty of Grenache character and power. Loads of ripe black raspberries, wild strawberries, sappy flowers, violets, and mint emerge from the 2017 Grenache Lumiere, which is a medium-bodied effort that has a vibrant, tight, sappy texture, polished tannins, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years. I continue to be blown away by the wines of Paul Lato, and these are unquestionably some of the most profound and exciting wines coming from the Central Coast today. The lineup has grown substantially over the past decade, and Lato now releases upwards of five Chardonnays, six Pinot Noirs, two Grenaches, three Syrahs, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Malvasia. Despite the number of wines, quality hasn’t slipped an inch, and the wines show incredible site and varietal typicity always paired with sensational fruit and balance. In short, don’t miss these wines! (Drink between 2019-2027)" -Jeb Dunnuck, 93JD
"Candied cherry and darker berry aromas meet with star anise, crumple purple flowers and crushed slate on the intoxicating nose of this bottling from the estate biodynamically farmed monopole vineyard. Intense acidity and lavish tannins make for a simultaneously bright and rich expression on the palate, where black cherry and black raspberry are lofted by cardamom and mace." -Wine Enthusiast 95WE
"The 2018 Pinot Noir Southing is laced with bold dark-fleshed fruit, menthol, licorice, spice and mocha. A wine of volume and depth, the 2018 offers tons of allure, with plush contours and impeccable overall balance. (Drink between 2022-2032)"" Vinous 95VM
"The 2019 Southing is seductive, structured, and deeply delicious. Dark, brooding ripe cherry aromas lift out of the glass with dried red florals, sagebrush, Indian spices, and spearmint. Medium-bodied with exceptional fruit density and yet, weightlessness. This is all wound-up energy and tension expressed in layers of black cherries, salted dark chocolate, crushed stone minerals, conifer, and scintillating acidity. A finish marked by cedar spices, white pepper and juniper makes for a complex and heady Pinot. (Drink between 2024-2038)" Decanter, 96DE
