Bien Nacido Syrah Il Padrino
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2032
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb chops, grilled ribeye steak, wild game dishes
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, 'Il Padrino' (The Godfather) Syrah is a masterful expression of cool-climate California Syrah. The vineyard itself is a historic site, planted on ancient soils blessed by cooling maritime breezes from the Pacific Ocean. Paul Lato, drawing on his sommelier background, crafts this wine with a deep respect for Northern Rhône traditions while celebrating the vibrant fruit of the Central Coast. The wine is typically aged in select French oak barrels, resulting in a complex profile marked by dark berries, cracked black pepper, smoked meats, and dried violets, supported by a refined, velvety tannin structure.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2002 by Polish-born former Toronto sommelier Paul Lato, this boutique Central Coast winery emerged after early mentorship from Au Bon Climat's Jim Clendenen and encouragement from Bien Nacido's Bob Miller. Operating without estate acreage, Lato contracts premier, meticulously farmed plots across premier maritime-influenced cool-climate terroirs, spanning the Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands, and Los Carneros. The viticultural philosophy focuses on rigorous yield restriction, physiological maturity, and sustainable management tailored block by block. In the cellar, Lato applies an intuitive, non-interventionist approach with small-lot fermentations, ambient yeast, and sensitive French oak aging to deliver exceptional textural tension, purity, and culinary balance. Celebrated white cuvées—including the Hyde Vineyard Goldberg Variations Chardonnay, Sierra Madre Kokoro Chardonnay, Le Bon Vivant, and O Sole Mio Sauvignon Blanc—stand alongside benchmark Pinot Noir and Syrah as some of California's most critically acclaimed, authentic, and seamless single-vineyard expressions.
🍇 Grapes
Syrah