Space Cadet
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3–12 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled lamb chops, wild mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Named with a touch of self-deprecating humor, 'Space Cadet' is Paul Lato's masterful exploration of the classic Rhône-style blend, typically marrying Syrah and Grenache. The name playfully references Lato's dream-like, artistic focus, which detractors once misunderstood before he cemented his reputation as one of California's most precise and focused winemakers. Sourced from prestigious sites in Santa Barbara County—most notably the sandy soils of the Larner Vineyard in Ballard Canyon—this cuvée benefits from a unique microclimate where warm days are tempered by cool, maritime winds. The sandy terroir imparts an ethereal perfume and remarkably polished, fine-grained tannins to the blend. In the cellar, Lato employs gentle handling and French oak aging to preserve the vibrant fruit purity, resulting in a wine that balances rich intensity with a striking, weightless elegance.
🍾 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
Syrah, Grenache