Drum Canyon Vineyard Stand By Me Pinot Noir
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 3–12 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, pan-seared salmon
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Crafted from the dramatic, wind-swept slopes of the Sta. Rita Hills, Paul Lato's 'Stand By Me' Pinot Noir is sourced from the steep, challenging terrain of the Drum Canyon Vineyard. Planted on extreme hillsides exposed to intense maritime winds and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean, the vines struggle in sandy, diatomaceous soils, yielding tiny, highly concentrated berries. The evocative name 'Stand By Me' reflects Lato's deeply personal, emotional approach to winemaking, drawing inspiration from classic music and cinema to celebrate loyalty, friendship, and enduring quality. In the cellar, Lato employs minimal intervention, utilizing native yeast fermentation and aging in select French oak barrels to preserve the vineyard's signature high-toned red fruit, exotic spices, and vibrant mineral tension. The resulting wine is celebrated for its remarkable energy, structural integrity, and velvety textural elegance.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 2002 by Polish-born sommelier Paul Lato, this artisanal winery is based in Santa Maria, California, within the heart of Santa Barbara County. Driven by a philosophy of minimal intervention and a quest for elegance and balance, Lato meticulously selects fruit from some of the Central Coast's most prestigious vineyards, including Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills, and Larner. The estate is highly acclaimed for its small-production, single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Syrahs, which beautifully capture the unique maritime-influenced terroir of the region. With an unwavering focus on purity of fruit and texture, expressions like the Solomon Hills Pinot Noir Suerte and Larner Syrah Cinematique have earned the winery a reputation as one of California's premier boutique producers.