The Contender Drum Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 3–12 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, herb-crusted rack of lamb
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Hailing from the steep, wind-swept slopes of the Drum Canyon Vineyard in the celebrated Sta. Rita Hills AVA, 'The Contender' is a masterclass in tension and power. Planted on challenging, diatomaceous soils and exposed to the relentless, cooling Pacific breezes, the vines here must fight to survive—a struggle that Paul Lato brilliantly honors with the wine's evocative name. This extreme terroir yields tiny, highly concentrated Pinot Noir berries. In the cellar, Lato employs a gentle, minimalist approach, aging the wine in select French oak barrels to preserve its vibrant core of dark fruit, exotic spices, and distinct mineral undertones. The result is a Pinot Noir of remarkable structure, energy, and cinematic depth that beautifully reflects its dramatic coastal origin.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 2002 by Polish-born sommelier Paul Lato, this artisanal winery is based in Santa Maria, California, within the heart of Santa Barbara County. Driven by a philosophy of minimal intervention and a quest for elegance and balance, Lato meticulously selects fruit from some of the Central Coast's most prestigious vineyards, including Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills, and Larner. The estate is highly acclaimed for its small-production, single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Syrahs, which beautifully capture the unique maritime-influenced terroir of the region. With an unwavering focus on purity of fruit and texture, expressions like the Solomon Hills Pinot Noir Suerte and Larner Syrah Cinematique have earned the winery a reputation as one of California's premier boutique producers.