Duvarita Vineyard Belle de Jour Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared sea scallops, roasted chicken with tarragon cream sauce, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced from the unique Duvarita Vineyard, located just west of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, this Chardonnay thrives in a cool, maritime-influenced microclimate defined by ancient, windblown sandy soils. The challenging terroir forces the vines to dig deep, resulting in low yields of intensely concentrated fruit. Named 'Belle de Jour'—a nod to both the radiant daylily and classic French cinema—this cuvée is crafted by Paul Lato with minimal intervention. Fermented and aged in select French oak barrels, it beautifully marries vibrant, electric acidity with a luxurious, textured mouthfeel, capturing the pure, saline-tinged essence of its coastal origin.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 2002 by Polish-born former sommelier Paul Lato, Paul Lato Wines is an acclaimed boutique winery based in Santa Barbara County, California. Guided by an artisanal, hands-off winemaking philosophy that prioritizes terroir transparency and balance, Lato works with some of the Central Coast's most prestigious cool-climate vineyards, including Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills, and Larner. The winery has achieved international critical acclaim for its intensely aromatic, textured, and nuanced small-lot Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, and Chardonnay, which are celebrated for their pure fruit expression, structural precision, and distinctive poetic cuvée designations.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5-14.5%