2021 Paul Lato Pinot Noir “Stand By Me” Santa Rita Hills  

San Francisco Wine Panel Score 99 Points

As so often in the past, this bottling combines vivid zest, tannic grip and concentrated fruit of pristine focus to create an impression of pending drama. The aromas are a precise mix of dark cherry, red raspberry, lingonberry, boysenberry, pomegranate, cinnamon “red hots”, pink peppercorn, sumac berry, cardamom, nutmeg, baking spice and mineral scents. It is grand-scale, yet shows impressive elegance on the palate where the promised flavors reprise as a chiseled mirroring of the aromas. In the super-long finish tannins swing the wine toward a harder dryness, yet fruit intensity holds these largely at bay so drinking pleasure never flags. It may take several more years, but this is destined to be a great Pinot. 260 cases produced.