2015 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Atticus John Sebastiano Vineyard

Sporting a pale to medium ruby-purple color, the 2015 Pinot Noir Atticus John Sebastiano Vineyard has the volume turned up on the black cherry, cranberry and pomegranate notes, with underlying suggestions of violets, charcoal, underbrush and dried lavender. Medium-bodied with a great intensity of ripe, red berry flavors, it delivers a fantastic frame of firm-grained tannins and plenty of vivacity, finishing long and layered.

From a site on the eastern edge of the Sta. Rita Hills, the 2015 Pinot Noir Atticus John Sebastiano Vineyard spent 15 months in 75% new French oak. It's vibrant ruby color is followed by notes of blackberries, raspberries, smoked earth, ground herbs and hints of minerality. It's one of the larger framed, riper wines from Paul, yet in this vintage, it stays beautifully focused, tight and pure. It has the balance and texture to shine today, but it will be better with a year or two of bottle age. Paul Lato is unquestionably one of my favorite winemakers in the Central Coast, and I continue to love his wines. While I found 2015 to be a difficult vintage, you wouldn’t know it by tasting through this lineup.