2017 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Suerte Solomon Hills Vineyard
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Tasting notes
I've always been a fan of the Pinot Noir from this site. The 2017 Pinot Noir Suerte Solomon Hills Vineyard from Lato was all destemmed and spent 15 months in 65% new French oak. Lots of Bing cherries, passion fruits, black raspberries, candied violets, and earthy forest floor notes emerge from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it has good acidity and a tight, backward style on the palate that's going to benefit from another year 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!
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Paul Lato's 2017 Pinot Noir Suerte is a pretty wine that shows the more overt side of the year in its exotic, flamboyantly ripe personality. Succulent red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, spice, mint, kirsch and hard candy add to that impression. Readers should expect a racy, overt style. Even so, all the elements are nicely balanced.
The Sololmon Hills vineyard is the most westerly—and thus the coolest—vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley AVA. Vines are 17 years old, planted in ocean floor sandy loam, and the wine was aged for 17 months in 65% new French oak. Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard Suerte features pure aromas of redcurrant, red licorice, shaved nutmeg and warm cinnamon on the nose with spiced cranberry sauce, black cherry, rose petal, pink peppercorn and autumn leaves. The medium-bodied palate is silky with layer after layer of spice, earth and fruit, wonderfully pixelated, grainy tannins and seamless acidity, finishing very long and very spicy. Paul Lato says, "If Santa Maria were Musigny, this would be Bonnes Mares." 240 cases produced.