2023 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Suerte Solomon Hills Vineyard
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2023 Pinot Noir Suerte Solomon Hills Vineyard is composed of Dijon clones from the site's sandy soils, resulting in a complex, finessed bouquet of kirsch, red cherries and dried flowers with a youthfully gourmand background of black licorice and vanilla pod. In the mouth, it echoes with a lacy, refined texture that is effortlessly draped across the palate as it moves into a long, succulent and seductive finish. The 65% new wood used here is evident today, although it remains neatly woven into an otherwise energetic, weightlessly intense profile. This is unfortunately the second-to-last iteration of this staple in the Paul Lato roster due to the vineyard's removal.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
From the Solomon Hills Vineyard, not far from Bien Nacido, and brought up 17 months in 65% new French oak, the 2023 Pinot Noir Suerte is slightly deep ruby/plum-hued and shows spicy black cherries, black tea, orange blossom, and forest floor notes. It's incredibly complex and layered, medium-bodied on the palate, with a pure, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and some classic Santa Maria salinity on the finish. It too will keep for a decade. Drink 2025-2035. Paul Lato continues to produce one of the most impressive lineups I taste each year, with wines coming from top vineyards across the Central Coast and beyond. The Polish immigrant (this is a great American success story) who started as a cellar hand in Santa Maria has built a program that now includes five Chardonnays and seven Pinot Noirs in this lineup alone. The Chardonnays range from Rincon in Arroyo Grande to Sierra Madre in Santa Maria to Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands and Hyde in Carneros, with the Kokoro being a selection across sites. The Pinot Noir program is equally extensive, pulling from Gold Coast and Solomon Hills in Santa Maria, Zotovich and Drum Canyon in Sta. Rita Hills, Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands, and Hyde in Carneros. All wines see extended aging of 16 to 19 months, with new oak ranging from 25% to 70% depending on the cuvée. I thought the Stand By Me from Drum Canyon was the clear standout in the Pinot lineup this year, while the Pisoni Chardonnay shows remarkable power and concentration. Having said that, there are no dogs in the lineup, and these are all brilliant wines. These wines consistently show a balance between California richness and Old World restraint, with the oak perfectly integrated despite the relatively high percentages used. What continues to impress me is the consistency across such a large lineup – there's not a weak wine in the bunch and each shows distinct site character despite the uniform winemaking approach.
The 2023 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard Suerte has a beguiling sensuality to the nose. Pure, fresh and floral, the 2023 tempts you in with intoxicating aromas of rose petal, hibiscus, pomegranate, fresh strawberry and an undercurrent of slightly irony minerality. Very complex, very engaging. Supple and rounded, it coasts across the palate with energy and grace, leaving a lingering echo of spice and white pepper. What a complete wine.