Kiss Me Again
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3 to 10 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled lamb chops, wild mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted by master sommelier-turned-winemaker Paul Lato, 'Kiss Me Again' is a seductive and deeply expressive Grenache sourced from the prestigious Larner Vineyard in the Ballard Canyon AVA of Santa Barbara County. The wine's romantic name reflects Lato's artistic philosophy, treating winemaking as a form of liquid poetry. Larner Vineyard's unique, well-draining sandy soils and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts allow the Grenache grapes to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness while retaining vibrant acidity. In the cellar, Lato practices minimal intervention, utilizing gentle punch-downs and aging the wine in carefully selected French oak barrels to preserve the grape's natural purity, resulting in a voluptuous yet remarkably balanced profile defined by bright red fruits, white pepper, and exotic spices.
🍾 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
Grenache