Ora Labora Bien Nacido Grenache
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck breast, grilled lamb chops, wild mushroom ragout
✨ Technical Specifications
Named 'Ora Labora'—Latin for 'pray and work'—this cuvée pays homage to the monastic devotion of historical winemakers, a philosophy that resonates deeply with Paul Lato's meticulous, hands-on approach. Sourced from the legendary Bien Nacido Vineyard in the cool Santa Maria Valley, this Grenache benefits from the region's unique transverse mountain range, which funnels chilly Pacific breezes and fog directly into the vines. This cool-climate terroir allows the Grenache grapes to undergo a long, slow ripening process, preserving vibrant acidity while developing complex layers of white pepper, wild strawberry, and dried floral notes. Crafted with minimal intervention, the wine is aged in select French oak barrels to enhance its silky texture and seamless structure, resulting in an exceptionally elegant and perfumed expression of California Grenache.
🍾 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
🍷 ABV
14-14.5%