Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A new cuvée by Lato (it’s the first vintage I’ve tasted), the 2016 Letters To Europe checks in as a blend of equal parts Grenache and Syrah that’s mostly from the Bien Nacido Vineyard outside of Santa Maria (83%) yet also includes a good chuck of fruit from Michael Larner’s Larner Vineyard in Ballard Canyon. Aged two years in just under half new barrels, this beauty showed wonderfully from tank and now from bottle it certainly doesn’t disappoint, revealing a saturated purple color as well as sumptuous notes of cured meats, vanilla tinged spices, new leather, ground pepper, and assorted darker berry fruits. Possessing full-bodied richness and depth, a seamless, incredibly elegant texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish, as always, it’s the purity of fruit and texture that sets Paul’s wines apart.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is my little twist on Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Paul Lato tells me. It's a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah from Bien Nacido and Larner vineyards. Aged for 24 months in 45% new French oak, the 2016 Grenache/Syrah Letters to Europe has a medium to deep ruby-purple color and a dense, intense nose with scents of kirsch, blueberry coulis, cassis, warm chocolate, toasted coconut and red cherry sparks with accents of liquid licorice, grilled meats and dried roses. Full-bodied, dense and packed with luscious fruits and spices, it has very firm but very ripe, granulated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and hedonistic. This is only made in the best years, and this is its second edition. 140 cases of the 2016 vintage will be released this fall.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.