2018 Paul Lato East of Eden Chardonnay

About 2018 Paul Lato East of Eden Chardonnay Pisoni Vineyard:

Paul’s wines are magnificent examples of how talented winemakers who give serious attention to vineyard management can produce stunning wines that reflect their terroir and are exemplary of artisanal winemaking.

Tasting Notes:

2018 Paul Lato East of Eden Chardonnay presented fresh and expressive nose of apricot, lemon zest, brioche, green apple and lots of wet stone. On the palate, this is deft, much like a good white burgundy. Seamlessly fresh, with a bit of tart pear and stunning purity. The integration is fabulous, with everything moving in the same direction, providing layers of sumptuous flavor, good core of concentration and yet incredible delineation. It is at once powerful and lithe, something very few if any chardonnays from this area achieve.

Barrel Selection:

Generally ages his wines for a minimum of 18 months and uses a high percentage of new oak with an average of 60%. The amount of new oak used for aging depends on the grapes. Wines sourced from Bien Nacido could go as high as 80-90%.

2018 Paul Lato East of Eden Chardonnay Pisoni Vineyard was barrel fermented and aged 15 months in 60% new French oak.

Growing Notes:

During the growing season, yields are restricted to achieve maximum concentration of flavor. Harvest is based on physiological ripeness, which changes depending on the vintage characteristics.

Grapes for 2018 Paul Lato East of Eden Chardonnay sourced from Pisoni Vineyard.

Winemaking Notes:

Cellar work is based on minimal intervention, cleanliness and purity of intention. Because every vintage is different, Paul does not believe in recipes. With due respect to science, he does believe that true artisanal winemaking is based on intuition, sensitivity and passion. Keeping the lots small allows for gentle handling throughout the winemaking process.

About The Winery:

In order to make wines of the highest caliber, Paul Lato Wines selects unique vineyards that are cared for by talented vineyard managers committed to excellence. They strive to locate and source from not only the best vineyards but the best blocks within each of these vineyards. During the growing season, yields are restricted to achieve maximum concentration of flavor. Harvest is based on physiological ripeness, which changes depending on the vintage characteristics.

Cellar work is based on minimal intervention, cleanliness and purity of intention. Because every vintage is different, Paul does not believe in recipes. With due respect to science, he does believe that true artisanal winemaking is based on intuition, sensitivity and passion. Keeping the lots small allows for gentle handling throughout the winemaking process.

Paul Lato is one of Santa Barbara’s finest artisanal winemakers.  Since 2002, he has been crafting outstanding wines from grapes sourced from some of the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County.  To his good fortune, Paul was discovered early in his career by none other than the wine critic Robert Parker,  who liked his wines and rated them highly.  With Parker’s encouragement and other reviews, Paul has gone on to craft wines that are today highly sought after by knowledgeable consumers and critics alike. 

Paul Lato’s winemaking is influenced by his European roots.  Born and raised in Poland and not formally trained as a winemaker, it is not surprising that from his earliest involvement with wine he gained a deep appreciation for the artisanal skills of European winemakers. “I am proud to make wine like a shoemaker,” he mentioned in one of our conversations.   In his Pinot Noir winemaking he has been greatly influenced by Henri Jayer of Vosne Romanée whose motto was “quality before everything else.” Jayer’s wines were brilliantly made, expensive, and difficult to find. In his Grenache and Syrah, Paul has looked to the great Rhone winemaker, Chave.

Notwithstanding his admiration for European winemaking. Paul Lato is passionate about California, and his first love is Santa Barbara. Not having the funds to purchase his own estate, Paul has sought out the best vineyards for grapes such as:  Bien Nacido, Gold Coast, Solomon Hills, Fiddlestix, Sierra Madre, Zotovich, John Sebastiano  Pisoni in the Santa Lucia Highlands and Hyde in Los Carneros.  Moreover, he has been successful in renting the best parcels by acre and with terms that give him control as to what goes on.  In this regard, he draws upon the advice of  a first class viticultural consultant, Mike Anderson, retired from UC Davis, who also consults at Peake Ranch.  Paul travels with him to John Sebastiano and Sierra Madre to get his inputs on irrigation, leaf pulling, dropping fruit and other inputs needed to achieve a high level performance in the vineyard.

What is Paul’s winemaking philosophy?  He said in our conversations, “I don’t want to make pretentious Burgundy wines in California.”  Nor does he want to make lean wines.  He believes the best wines of Europe are ripe and that balance is achieved slowly. He is not a fan of lower alcohol and less ripeness in his wines if it means sacrificing balance and flavor. Nor is he in favor of excessive alcohol and excessive acidity. Like Henri Jayer he has used few whole clusters in his wine but is reconsidering it, although he doesn’t believe Pinot Noir needs stems.

Paul generally ages his wines for a minimum of 18 months and uses a high percentage of new oak with an average of 60%. The amount of new oak used for aging depends on the grapes. Wines sourced from Bien Nacido could go as high as 80-90%.

Paul’s wines are magnificent examples of how talented winemakers who give serious attention to vineyard management can produce stunning wines that reflect their terroir and are exemplary of artisanal winemaking.  Paul is still a young man at the high of his creative powers, and we look forward to many exciting wines in the years to come.