2018 Paul Lato Grenache Ora de Labora Bien Nacido Vineyard

All destemmed Grenache aged 22 months in 30% new barrels, the 2018 Ora et Labora Bien Nacido Vineyard offers up a juicy bouquet of Bing cherries, black raspberries, sappy herbs, licorice, and ground pepper. Nicely textured, medium to full-bodied, and silky on the palate, with great tannins, drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years. 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.