Paul Lato "Le Souvenir" Sierra Madre Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

97 points - limited                          Limited new Chardonnay from cult producer Paul Lato.  First time available! 97 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2018 Chardonnay Le Souvenir Sierra Madre Vineyard comes from a site outside of Santa Maria and was brought up in 60% new French oak. Awesome notes of white flowers, white currants, toasted spices, honeysuckle and a touch of spice all emerge from this ultra-classic, medium to full-bodied, seamless beauty. It does everything right and is just a classy effort.... ...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. 96 Points Robert Parker: "The 2018 Chardonnay le Souvenir Sierra Madre Vineyard is a gorgeous, multidimensional wine that opens with loads of spicy accents and touches of toast, honeysuckle and baked apples. It's satiny and expansive in the mouth, packed to the gills with ripe, spicy flavor layers and finishing very long with great freshness that calls you in for another sip. Pure class! 225 cases produced." ...I continue to be blown away by the wines of Paul Lato, and these are unquestionably some of the most profound and exciting wines coming from the Central Coast today. The lineup has grown substantially over the past decade, and Lato now releases upwards of five Chardonnays, six Pinot Noirs, two Grenaches, three Syrahs, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Malvasia. Despite the number of wines, quality hasn’t slipped an inch, and the wines show incredible site and varietal typicity always paired with sensational fruit and balance. In short, don’t miss these wines!"

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