2023 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Magic Moments Hyde Vineyard

Coming from the Hyde Vineyard in Carneros, the 2023 Pinot Noir Magic Moments sports a deep ruby, semi-opaque hue and offers remarkable purity in its black raspberry and framboise-like core of fruit, along with perfumed floral, spice, and subtle oak-driven aromatics. Aged 19 months in 65% new French oak, it carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated Pinot Noir with beautifully integrated acidity, a supple, layered mouthfeel, and ample ripe tannins. It’s another sensational Paul Lato Pinot Noir that readers will love to drink any time over the coming 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.