Wine Advocate: 95+ Points
More masculine (about as masculine as any of Paul’s wines get? which isn’t very masculine), the 2012 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard (100% Syrah aged in 85% new French oak) had loads of creme de cassis, wood smoke, cracked pepper, salty minerality and ground herbs to go with a medium to full-bodied, layered, pure and overall fresh profile on the palate. It’s the incredible purity of fruit that really sets this apart. Also showing building, finely polished tannin on the finish, give this smoking Syrah another year or so and drink it through 2027. One of my favorite producers in the Central Coast, Paul Lato continues to make thrilling Pinot Noirs and Syrahs that have texture, richness and depth while never seeming heavy or cumbersome. These are gorgeous wines across the board and you can’t go wrong here.
