2018 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Kokoro

Lastly, the 2018 Pinot Noir Kokoro is a cellar selection from sites in Santa Barbara County that spent 20 months in 75% new French oak. It's a more structured, backward wine offering spicy blackberry and raspberry fruit as well as notes of chocolatey herbs and spice, full-bodied richness, building tannins, and a great finish. It's certainly loaded with potential, but a good 2-3 years of bottle age are warranted. 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.