2020 Paul Lato Magic Moments Pinot Noir, Hyde Vineyard, Carneros, California

The 2020 Paul Lato Magic Moments Pinot Noir comes from Hyde Vineyard in Carneros, one of California’s historic sites for Pinot Noir and a vineyard Larry Hyde established in 1979. The property is known for its cool maritime influence, rolling hills and long-standing commitment to sustainable and organic farming, while the old vines provide the foundation for this small-production bottling. Paul Lato, a former sommelier who turned to winemaking after discovering California’s potential for Burgundy-inspired wines, selected fruit from Hyde’s mature Pinot Noir plantings for this cuvée, including Calera and 115 selections. The 2020 vintage was particularly challenging across California, with wildfires beginning around harvest, and the fruit for Magic Moments was picked just after the fires started. 

The wine was matured for 16 months in French oak, with 66% new barrels, then bottled in March 2022. Its character combines the mature-vine identity of Hyde Vineyard with Paul Lato’s polished, small-production style, showing a structured expression of Carneros Pinot Noir with red fruit, earthy depth and savory complexity. Only 137 cases were produced, making this a particularly limited bottling from one of the region’s most recognized vineyards.