Paul Lato 2020 Pinot Noir “Duende” Gold Coast Santa Maria Valley 95 Points

This is Burgundy made in California! The Gold Coast Vineyard is 30+ year-old and is own-rooted (no rootstock)!  Intensely perfumed aromatics jump out of the glass. Medium to full in body, this wine offers gobs of red stone fruit, a touch of underbrush and spice in its medium to full-bodied shell.  The wine lingers for a long time into a gorgeous, lengthy finish.

Paul Lato Notes: “This may very well be my finest vintage of Duende to date. Delicate, medium red color and fantastic perfume. Stewed strawberry and raspberry notes with very pleasant red fruit nuances from the 30-year-old vines at Gold Coast Vineyard. It has a silky texture on the tongue from the intermingling of the fruit with the finest new French oak – refreshing acidity and light tannins on the finish.  Duende is a perennial favorite of many of my long time customers.”

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points: Leading off the Pinot Noirs, the 2020 Pinot Noir Duende Gold Coast Vineyard comes from Santa Maria and was destemmed and spent 12 months in 50% new barrels. Its medium ruby hue is followed by a big, boisterous bouquet of ripe strawberries, framboise, spring flowers, and sappy herbs. This fruit-loaded, sexy, forward, seamless effort is one of the more approachable and ready-to-go in the lineup, yet it still has good acidity as well as tannins.: