2023 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Zotovich Vineyard Seabiscuit
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Tasting notes
The 2023 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit Zotovich Vineyard is a beautiful representation of the Sta. Rita Hills' northern corridor. It leads with a dark-fruited, brooding bouquet that gradually unfurls an increasingly complex array of forest floor, tobacco leaf and citrus rind aromas further lifted by marine-driven top notes. The palate emphasizes a lacy, ethereal texture with a distinctly high-toned energy, beautifully juxtaposing the more punchy and saturated Drum Canyon bottling from further east in the same sector of Sta. Rita Hills. It concludes with a subtly juicy, succulent finish framed with refined, saline-laced tannins, and it feels a touch buttoned up relative to how it could evolve in the cellar.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate
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From the Zotovich Vineyard on the southern side of the Sta. Rita Hills and aged 17 months in 65% new French oak, the 2023 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit is translucent ruby and very floral and spicy, with a beautiful core of mulberry and raspberry fruits, rose, and smoky herb nuances. It's gorgeous on the palate as well, with a fresh, focused mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's one of the fresher, more chiseled, focused Pinots in the lineup from Paul and is going to cruise for a decade in cold cellars. 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 Zotovich Vineyard Seabiscuit is a lighter, brighter, nervier wine in the context of the house style. Iodine, garrigue , red berries and light cranberry tones open into a delicate frame, accented by peppery grip on the close. This feels very old school for Paul Lato, but it works.