2016 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Zotovich Vineyard Seabiscuit
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From a site in the northern part of the Sta. Rita Hills, the 2016 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit Zotovich Vineyard (60% new French oak) reveals a medium ruby/translucent color as well as a classic bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, forest floor, white flowers, and spice. It picks up a lovely floral quality with time in the glass and is seamless, silky, and perfectly balanced on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins. I almost always find the Zotovich to be one of the most compelling wines in the lineup from Lato and the 2016 is no exception. It's as classic and balanced as it gets. Give bottles 2-3 years in the cellar and it's going to evolve for 10-15 years.
Critic scores
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit Zotovich Vineyard is gracious and refined, as wines from this site tend to be. Floral overtones and bright acids give the red cherry and raspberry fruit energy. Silky, layered and medium in body, the Seabiscuit is all about refinement.
The 2016 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit Zotovich Vineyard reveals distinctive aromas of candied peel, wood smoke, red berries and plum preserve that are already nicely integrated with its generous framing of new oak. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, deep and savory, with a fine-grained but firm chassis of tannin that asserts itself on the finish. I suspect this will fill out considerably with a year or two in bottle.