2018 Chardonnay “Le Souvenir” Sierra Madre Vineyard 

The 2018 Chardonnay Le Souvenir Sierra Madre Vineyard comes from a site outside of Santa Maria and was brought up in 60% new French oak. Awesome notes of white flowers, white currants, toasted spices, honeysuckle and a touch of spice all emerge from this ultra-classic, medium to full-bodied, seamless beauty. It does everything right and is just a classy effort. A great California success story, Polish immigrant Paul Lato started as a cellar hand in a Santa Maria co-op/custom crush and has worked his way up to being one of the leading producers of artisanal, world class wines in California today. Lato fashions a bevy of wines (I would normally say too many, yet given the quality he’s able to achieve, the more the merrier) including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. These aren’t lightweight wines, yet they never lose their sense of balance and elegance. I always describe the wines as having a slightly Old World style, but with one foot planted firmly in California. As I hope the reviews show, his 2018s are incredible wines across the board.

The 2018 Chardonnay Le Souvenir Sierra Madre Vineyard is one of the most expressive wines in this range. Bright and lifted, with striking aromatic intensity and all the tropical accents that are typical of this site, the 2018 is impeccably balanced from start to finish. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and lightly honeyed notes all grace this wonderfully inviting Chardonnay from Paul Lato. In a word: superb.