Paul Lato 2019 Chardonnay “Belle de Jour” Duvarita Vineyard

This bottling has created a real following.  I would be hard-pressed, but I can tell you that this one is every bit as good as his previous Belle de Jour bottlings, maybe a touch more focused and more elegant! A real “skilled” winemaker gem! Due to the success with the previous vintages, I have a lot of demand for this bottling and it will be sold out well before it arrives at my store!

Paul Lato Notes: “Very sleek and elegant chardonnay from the Biodynamic Duvarita vineyard, it is a classic example of the intriguing depth and complexity Biodynamic wines exhibit. It is intensely aromatic, with acacia flowers and sea breeze-like mineral notes on the nose. Medium-bodied, long in the mouth, clean, and very well balanced on the palate, finishing with the contrasting flavors of lemon zest and butterscotch. It is lively enough to be an aperitif; however, it will greatly complement seafood like shrimp, scallop, or pair well with traditional French cuisine.”

Robert Parker 96 Points (previous vintage): “This is the second vintage of this wine for Paul Lato, made using biodynamically farmed grapes and aged for 15 months in 55% new French oak. Youthfully coiled, the Paul Lato Belle de Jour Duvarita Vineyard features oodles of latent layers on the nose: warm pie spice, baked quince, Golden Delicious apples, Meyer lemon peel, dried hay, dusty earth, crushed stone and mushroom with warm white peach, jasmine, and spring honey nuances. Medium to full-bodied with that signature Lato texture, it has intense flavor layers swelling in the mouth, with juicy acidity and a very long, layered, lively finish. Give this more time in the bottle if you can keep your paws off.”