2017 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Lancelot Pisoni Vineyard
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"Sometimes I call it the beast," says Paul Lato of the 2017 Pinot Noir Lancelot Pisoni Vineyard, which comes from 36-year-old vines planted in granite and quartz and aged for 17 months in 60% new French oak. Pale to medium ruby, it has wonderfully evolving layers on the nose: from potpourri, dried bark, orange peel and amaro, to blueberry, raspberry, rhubarb, warm wild blackberries and strawberry preserves, to perfumed dusty earth, nutmeg, mineral hints and black tea leaves. It's medium to full-bodied and silky textured, slowly blossoming in the mouth to savory, broody, spice-laced dark fruits. It's framed by firm, finely grained tannins and great opposing freshness, finishing long, savory, textured and perfumed. So good! 340 cases were made.
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Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
From a site located in the southern part of the Santa Lucia Highlands consisting of broken granite soils, the 2017 Pinot Noir Lancelot Pisoni Vineyard was all destemmed and spent 15 months in 70% new French oak. Ripe raspberries, strawberries, rose petals, sappy herbs, and crushed rock-like minerality all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with medium to full body, bright, integrated acidity, building tannins, and a great, great finish. Despite seeming to be the most seamless and elegant texturally, it has a wealth of building tannins, good acidity, and a tight, powerful, lengthy style that begs for another year or two in bottle. 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!
The 2017 Pinot Noir Lancelot is soft, fruity and open-knit, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years. This is an especially lifted, perfumed style for Pisoni, with less of the depth than is customary here. That said, the Lancelot offers plenty of immediacy and overall appeal.
From a site located in the southern part of the Santa Lucia Highlands consisting of broken granite soils, the 2017 Pinot Noir Lancelot Pisoni Vineyard was all destemmed and spent 15 months in 70% new French oak. Ripe raspberries, strawberries, rose petals, sappy herbs, and crushed rock-like minerality all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with medium to full body, bright, integrated acidity, building tannins, and a great, great finish. Despite seeming to be the most seamless and elegant texturally, it has a wealth of building tannins, good acidity, and a tight, powerful, lengthy style that begs for another year or two in bottle.