Lancelot Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2031
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, seared lamb chops
✨ Technical Specifications
Paul Lato's Lancelot Pinot Noir is an exquisite tribute to the legendary Pisoni Vineyard, nestled in the rugged, wind-swept heights of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Named after the noble knight of Arthurian legend to reflect its power, elegance, and chivalrous complexity, this single-vineyard cuvée showcases the dramatic terroir of one of California's most iconic grape-growing sites. Sourced from deep, granitic soils and exposed to the cool, intense maritime breezes sweeping in from Monterey Bay, the low-yielding Pisoni clone vines produce fruit of exceptional concentration, structure, and vibrant acidity. Paul Lato's minimal-intervention winemaking philosophy—utilizing gentle handling, native yeast fermentation, and aging in French oak barrels—allows the dark berry flavors, exotic spices, and deep mineral undertones of this exceptional site to shine through with purity and a signature velvety texture.
🍾 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
Pinot Noir