2016 Paul Lato Space Cadet

The 2016 Space Cadet, Lato's Syrah-based red, is deep, succulent and quite giving, with terrific fruit density and tons of sheer appeal. The blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache works beautifully. Dark red/purplish fruit, game, smoke and cured meats give the 2016 tons of character. This is another highly expressive and inviting wine from Paul Lato. Most of the fruit (80%) is from Larner, while the rest is from (10%) Larner Grenache and (10%) Bien Nacido Vineyard Grenache.

This is the inaugural vintage of the Space Cadet, a wine only made in exceptional years. It's a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache from the Bien Nacido and Larner vineyards. The wine was aged for 24 months in 20% new French oak. Still youthfully coiled and with lots of latent layers, the 2016 Syrah/Grenache Space Cadet has a medium to deep ruby-purple color and scents of cassis, blueberry jam, warm chocolate, baked blackberries, black cherries and grilled meats with nuances of crushed stone, warm baking spice, cracked pepper, flowers and red fruit sparks. Full-bodied, dense, rich and hedonistic in the mouth, it gives up luscious fruits, spices and chocolate box notions, with very firm, finely pixelated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and flavorful. Yowza! This is only made in exceptional years, and there are 150 cases of the 2017 vintage.