2012 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Lancelot Pisoni Vineyard

The 2012 Pinot Noir Lancelot Pisoni Vineyard is a lighter, more restrained version of this cuvee that lacks the depth and richness found in prior years. Nevertheless, it’s still an outstanding effort that offers notions of wild strawberries, pine, sappy herbs and spring flowers to go with a medium-bodied, nicely balanced and sweetly fruited profile on the palate. There’s good density here, but the acidity is quite high and shows more on the finish as well. Give it a year in the cellar and enjoy it over the following 3-5 years. One of my favorite producers in the Central Coast, Paul Lato continues to make thrilling Pinot Noirs and Syrahs that have texture, richness and depth while never seeming heavy or cumbersome. These are gorgeous wines across the board and you can’t go wrong here. Tel. (805) 260-3210; www.paullatowines.com

One of the smaller-scaled wines in this range, the 2012 Pinot Noir Lancelot Pisoni Vineyard offers good aromatic lift and precision, but less of the customary depth this site is known for. Pisoni typically yields darker more powerful wines, but the 2012 is brighter and redder in profile. If taken on its own terms, the Lancelot is a pretty wine, but relative to what Pisoni is and should be, well, that is another matter.