Paul Lato tasting @ Hiroshi

We recently attended a wine tasting featuring the wines of Paul Lato lead by the man himself at Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas. I knew I had to attend after I had a wine glass epiphany about a year ago with his 2011 Martinee Pinot Noir. It really wasn't his wine specifically but more the Riedel Pinot Noir glass that was the discovery. You see, I've sampled several of Paul Lato's Pinots in the past but when I sampled it from this Riedel Pinot glass, I realized that I never had a Paul Lato with the same expressive nose. I immediately hit the internet looking for that same glass. So at this tasting, I actually brought my travelin' balloon Pinot Noir glass. The four wine we sampled were the:

2012 Pinot Noir “Suerte--Solomon Hills Vineyard”

2012 Pinot Noir “Atticus--John Sebastiano Vineyard”

2012 Syrah “Il Padrino--Bien Nacido Vineyard”

2012 Chardonnay “Le Souvenir--Sierra Madre Vineyard”

We then adjourned to Vino for dinner starting with appetizers including the Portuguese Sausage Potstickers...

and the Papillotte of Onaga...

I also uncorked a bottle of Geoffroy Rose de Saignee

Along with a 1994 Williams Selyem Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir. Twenty years old and at the end of its drinking plateau so it was more Burgundy-like than New World but great with the Shinsato Farms...

For two of the Shinsato Farms specials, the Roasted Shinsato Farms Baby Back Ribs with caramelized fennel, port wine reduction & pickled carrots... the thinly sliced slaw was KILLER!

And the Spicy Fennel Shinsato Pork Sausage with fresh linguine, roasted Roma tomato & Small Kine Farms cremini mushrooms...

Paul Lato's Atticus Pinot Noir and Le Souvenir Chardonnay were his two highlights of the tasting for both yours truly and the Mrs and that 1994 Williams Selyem wasn't a slouch... but for 20 years old... not the easiest wine to find... though the Geoffroy is still available... and we plan to purchase more!