Paul Lato 'Il Padrino' Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah 2021 750ml

Product Info

99pts Jeb Dunnuck
From the Drum Canyon Vineyard and brought up 18 months in 70% new French oak, the 2023 Pinot Noir Stand By Me offers black raspberries, graphite, spring flowers, and minty, sappy underbrush nuances on the nose. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, concentrated, and focused, with beautifully integrated oak (it brings to mind Roumier), it has a tight, focused mouthfeel, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. Give it a year or two to integrate its oak and drink through 2035. It's another sensational Pinot Noir from the genius of Paul Lato. Drink 2027-2035.

Paul Lato continues to produce one of the most impressive lineups I taste each year, with wines coming from top vineyards across the Central Coast and beyond. The Polish immigrant (this is a great American success story) who started as a cellar hand in Santa Maria has built a program that now includes five Chardonnays and seven Pinot Noirs in this lineup alone. The Chardonnays range from Rincon in Arroyo Grande to Sierra Madre in Santa Maria to Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands and Hyde in Carneros, with the Kokoro being a selection across sites. The Pinot Noir program is equally extensive, pulling from Gold Coast and Solomon Hills in Santa Maria, Zotovich and Drum Canyon in Sta. Rita Hills, Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands, and Hyde in Carneros. All wines see extended aging of 16 to 19 months, with new oak ranging from 25% to 70% depending on the cuvée. I thought the Stand By Me from Drum Canyon was the clear standout in the Pinot lineup this year, while the Pisoni Chardonnay shows remarkable power and concentration. Having said that, there are no dogs in the lineup, and these are all brilliant wines. These wines consistently show a balance between California richness and Old World restraint, with the oak perfectly integrated despite the relatively high percentages used. What continues to impress me is the consistency across such a large lineup – there's not a weak wine in the bunch and each shows distinct site character despite the uniform winemaking approach.

96pts Wine Advocate
Built from a combination of Calera selection and 115 clones, the 2023 Pinot Noir Stand By Me Drum Canyon Vineyard is the complete opposite side of the coin from the Zotovich Pinot Noir, offering a more substantial and textural expression of the northern Sta. Rita Hills. An intense, opaque color introduces a similarly powerful bouquet of black cherries, graphite, underbrush, black licorice and a touch of black fruit compote. The palate is supple yet tensile, quickly intensified with a pronounced saturation after even a short while in the glass. The finish is long, layered and elegantly tenacious, framed with a youthfully toasted framing of high-quality new oak. A fantastic presentation of the region, this more than merits another couple of years in the cellar to further integrate its élevage and should age for more than a decade. Published: Nov 06, 2025 Reviewed by: Matthew Luczy

94pts Vinous Media
The 2023 Pinot Noir Drum Canyon Vineyard Stand by Me is darkly fruited, voluptuous and a little mysterious. Rich, sweet blueberry coulis, toasted baking spices, lifted florals and simmering acids paint a complete picture. There's a real sultry character to this wine that draws you in, like a siren. I'd give it some time in the cellar to blossom, but the Stand by Me is long on delicious factor now. - By Billy Norris on August 2025

Terroir
Drum Canyon Vineyard lies along the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, where proximity to the Pacific Ocean exerts a defining influence on vine growth and fruit character. Persistent coastal winds, fog intrusion, and cool daytime temperatures extend the growing season, allowing Pinot Noir to ripen slowly while preserving acidity and aromatic precision. The vineyard’s orientation and exposure further enhance this effect, resulting in fruit that balances ripeness with restraint.

Soils at Drum Canyon are predominantly diatomaceous earth and marine sediment, offering excellent drainage and contributing a pronounced mineral tension to the finished wine. The 2023 vintage was marked by a cool, steady growing season with long hang time, producing wines of finesse, clarity, and layered complexity—hallmarks of Paul Lato’s approach in this coastal site.

Winemaking & Technical Notes
“Stand by Me” is crafted from 100% Pinot Noir, hand-harvested and meticulously sorted to ensure only pristine fruit enters the cellar. Fermentation is carried out using native yeasts, with a portion of whole clusters incorporated to enhance aromatic lift, structure, and savory nuance. Gentle extraction techniques are employed to preserve texture and transparency.

The wine is aged in French oak barrels, a restrained percentage of which are new, allowing subtle spice and frame without overshadowing the vineyard expression. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, the wine reflects Paul Lato’s commitment to minimal intervention and site-driven precision.

Tasting Notes
The 2023 “Stand by Me” opens with a beautifully layered nose of wild strawberry, raspberry, and red cherry, interwoven with rose petal, crushed stone, and a hint of coastal salinity. As the wine opens, subtle notes of clove, tea leaf, and forest floor emerge, adding depth and complexity.

On the palate, the wine is silky and refined, with fine-grained tannins supporting a core of vibrant red fruit. Bright acidity provides lift and energy, while the mid-palate reveals savory undertones of herbs, earth, and mineral nuance. The balance between fruit purity and structural tension is precise, giving the wine both immediate charm and the promise of graceful evolution.

The finish is long, persistent, and elegant, leaving impressions of red berries, spice, and marine minerality.

Food Pairing & Service
Paul Lato “Stand by Me” Drum Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023 is a natural match for refined, flavor-driven cuisine. Roast chicken, duck breast, or pork tenderloin with herb-forward preparations complement the wine’s acidity and aromatic complexity. Earth-driven dishes such as mushroom risotto, lentil-based preparations, or roasted root vegetables highlight its savory undertones and mineral depth.

Seafood dishes with richness—such as seared salmon or tuna—also pair beautifully, especially when accompanied by subtle sauces or herbal accents. Serve at 58–62°F (14–16°C) and consider a brief decant to allow the aromatics to fully unfold. While expressive in its youth, this Pinot Noir has the balance and structure to evolve gracefully over the next 8–12 years.