2016 Paul Lato Chardonnay Kokoro Sierra Madre Vineyard
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The 2016 Chardonnay Kokoro comes from the Sierra Madre Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley and spent 15 months in 100% new French oak. This vibrant gold-colored effort offers awesome notes of sautéed citrus, orange blossom, brioche, and white flowers. It's deep, rich, and concentrated, with ample richness and depth, yet also purity and elegance. It’s one of the finest Chardonnays I’ve tasted from winemaker Paul Lato and it’s an incredible wine readers should snatch up.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Chardonnay Kokoro Sierra Madre Vineyard is a bit richer and creamier than the straight Santa Maria Chardonnay, with more pronounced tropical overtones. Lively acids give the wine an attractive sense of freshness. Ultimately, the two Sierra Madre Chardonnays are not markedly different. If anything, I slightly prefer the regular bottling for its greater focus and truer expression of site.
The 2016 Chardonnay Kokoro hails exclusively from the Sierra Madre Vineyard this year, but unlike Le Souvenir, it was aged in 100% new oak. Remarkably, this lovely Chardonnay—which reminded me of a higher appellation Puligny from Domaine Marc Colin—has digested its new wood almost entirely, opening in the glass with aromas of pear, preserved citrus, honey, praline and wheat toast. On the palate, it’s full-bodied and texturally lavish, more spicy and opulent than the Belle de Jour or Souvenir, but it remains bright and pure through the long, saline finish.