Paul Lato

History

Paul Lato is a Slovak-born winemaker who built his career in California's Central Coast wine trade before launching his own label. He worked for years in restaurant and retail settings, developing a deep familiarity with European classics before turning to production. His label operates on a négociant model, sourcing fruit from established vineyards rather than farming estate land, which has allowed him to work across multiple appellations and soil types simultaneously. Each wine carries its own name, a practice that reflects Lato's interest in treating individual vineyard sources as distinct subjects rather than components of a blended house style. The project has grown steadily in reputation, with allocations that sell primarily through a mailing list.

Vineyards

Lato draws fruit from a roster of well-regarded Central Coast sites. Larner Vineyard, in the Ballard Canyon AVA, is the source for his Syrah and Grenache; the site is planted on calcium-rich clay soils and farmed sustainably, with a warm, sheltered climate that suits Rhone varieties. Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley is one of California's most storied addresses for cool-climate Pinot Noir and Syrah, with marine influence pushing through the Tepusquet Gap and keeping growing temperatures moderate. Solomon Hills, also in Santa Maria Valley, sits at the western, windier end of the valley floor and produces fruit with pronounced acidity. Sierra Madre Vineyard, southeast of Santa Maria, is a reliable source for Chardonnay with good tension. Pisoni Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County is planted at significant elevation on granitic soils, and is one of the more coveted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sources in California. Kokoro appears to be a separate designation Lato uses for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; the specific vineyard source or sources behind that label are not publicly documented in detail. Farming practices vary by grower; Lato does not control the viticulture directly.

Winemaking

Lato's cellar work is attentive and relatively low-intervention for the style. Pinot Noir is typically fermented with a portion of whole clusters, though the percentage varies by vintage and site. Native or ambient yeasts are used where conditions allow. Aging takes place in French oak barrels, with the proportion of new wood kept at a level that preserves site character rather than adding overt wood flavor; his Chardonnays in particular tend toward restraint in oak treatment relative to many California peers. The wines are generally bottled unfined and unfiltered, or with minimal processing. Each cuvée carries an individual Italian or French name, a signature affectation that underscores the single-vineyard, single-subject framing Lato has maintained throughout the project.