2015 Paul Lato The Contender Drum Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir

Paul Lato was a sommelier at some of Toronto's best restaurants when Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat invited him to the Central Coast to help with the 1996 harvest. Lato returned to Toronto, but he'd been entranced with the idea of making wine. In 2002 Lato packed up and moved permanently to the Central Coast, where he worked as a cellar rat and made small amounts of his own wine on the side. His first vintages were praised by Robert M. Parker Jr. and other reviewers, and since then he has continued to make small amounts of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chardonnay in Santa Maria from grapes sourced in Santa Rita, Santa Ynez Valley and the Santa Maria Valley. Though he makes only about 500 cases a year, Lato has earned a reputation for excellence. Robert M. Parker Jr. has generally rated Lato’s wines between 90 and 95 pts and notes that “Lato’s passion and impeccable attention to detail have resulted in some outstanding wines.” Lato's wines are usually available only by mailing list.

Santa Rita Hills AVA in northern Santa Barbara County was granted appellation status in 2001. Located between the towns of Lompoc and Buellton, it has a total area of 30,720 acres with 2,700 vineyard acres. The area is considered a cool climate for vineyards, so vineyards are most often planted with the cool-weather grapes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The hills in the western part of this appellation are directly exposed to the Pacific Ocean, meaning that maritime winds and fog make the western edge of the Santa Rita Hills AVA particularly cool. The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard planted in 1971 was the first vineyard in the district and is still considered one of the best.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.