2017 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyards

Inkier colored, the 2017 Syrah Il Padrino comes from the Bien Nacido Vineyard, which is a hillside vineyard located just outside of Santa Maria. Completely destemmed and aged 20 months in new French oak, it reveals a textbook bouquet of crème de cassis, blueberries, lavender, crushed rocks, pepper, iodine, and assorted meaty nuances. This gives way to an ultra-fine, full-bodied, concentrated Syrah that has no hard edges, heavenly purity of fruit, and a blockbuster finish, and despite being a big rich wine, it stays fresh, weightless, and elegant. It will probably merit a triple-digit score in 3-4 years and is undoubtedly one of the wines of this vintage. Bravo! I continue to be blown away by the wines of Paul Lato, and these are unquestionably some of the most profound and exciting wines coming from the Central Coast today. The lineup has grown substantially over the past decade, and Lato now releases upwards of five Chardonnays, six Pinot Noirs, two Grenaches, three Syrahs, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Malvasia. Despite the number of wines, quality hasn’t slipped an inch, and the wines show incredible site and varietal typicity always paired with sensational fruit and balance. In short, don’t miss these wines!