2010 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Atticus John Sebastiano Vineyard

A larger-scaled style of Pinot emerges in the 2010 Pinot Noir Atticus John Sebastiano Vineyard. This is a distinctly big, fruit-driven Pinot long on style and personality. The yields are extremely low in this site, and while the wine has fabulous concentration, it also lacks the finesse of the best wines in the lineup. Today, my impression is that the Atticus needs time to settle down a touch, although it will always retain some of its pure and at times rough around the edges enthusiasm.

A larger-scaled style of Pinot emerges in the 2010 Pinot Noir Atticus John Sebastiano Vineyard. This is a distinctly big, fruit-driven Pinot long on style and personality. The yields are extremely low in this site, and while the wine has fabulous concentration, it also lacks the finesse of the best wines in the lineup. Today, my impression is that the Atticus needs time to settle down a touch, although it will always retain some of its pure and, at times, rough-around-the-edges, enthusiasm. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. Paul Lato's wines are imbued with passion and personality. This is another superb set of wines from one of California's hottest under-the-radar producers. This year, Lato has two new wines; a Chardonnay from Hilliard Bruce (for whom he also consults) and a Grenache from the Larner Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley. All of these wines are made in tiny amounts, but they are well worth the effort of searching out. Tel. (805) 260-3210

Showing more fruit and richness than the Duende, yet perhaps lacking that wines overall balance and integration, the 2010 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Atticus John Sebastiano Vineyard is nevertheless a gorgeous Pinot Noir that possesses classy kirsch, strawberry, smoked underbrush, and meaty qualities on the nose. Medium+ bodied and beautifully textured, with a core of sweet fruit, no hard edges, and a supple, oh so drinkable character, this top-notch effort should be enjoyed over the coming 4-6 years.