2019 Wayfarer ‘Wayfarer Vineyard’ Pinot Noir
2019 Wayfarer ‘Wayfarer Vineyard’ Pinot Noir The 2019 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard comes from all 11 clones grown on the Wayfarer property. Medium ruby-purple in color, it has broody aromas of blood orange, iron, rhubarb and cranberry sauce with notes of dusty earth and dried herbs. The palate manages incredible intensity, lift and expansive flavor layers with a very long, juicy finish that continually calls you in for another sip! 95pts Parker’s WA
Violet, lavender and boysenberry aromas emerge from the glass, along with cherry, plum, dried herbs and fennel seed. A silky entry, lush body and creamy notes on the finish are juxtaposed by lively acidity, bringing a beautiful tension to the wine. This is a wonderfully complete Pinot Noir, a combination of focus and finesse, and it has a subtle power that will carry this vintage for many years. Winemaker
Pahlmeyer is one of the icons of Napa. The first bottling was in 1986. Napa winemaking royalty have made wine for Pahlmeyer, Randy Dunne, Bob Levy and Helen Turley. The vineyards were planted by the legendary David Abreu. Jayson Pahlmeyer has had a long term love affair with the great Burgundy varietals of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In fact in the 1990’s he had a deal signed deal to buy both red and white Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy in Clos de la Roche in the Cote du Nuit and in Corton. The deal however fell through at the last minute. Jayson knew that, eventually, the perfect site would present itself. He just didn’t realize it would be six years later in the remote hills of the Sonoma Coast at a small farm called Wayfarer. Helen Turley’s legendary Marcassin vineyard is just down the road and it was Helen who found that Wayfarer was for sale and new that it would be perfect for Jayson. Jayson instantly sensed that this secluded place held all the essential elements to produce exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Helen declared it destined to be “the La Tache of California” as Jayson claimed the land for his own.
Wayfarer has gone on to prove itself, making world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wines get massive scores and have become just about impossible to get. Today I have a tiny allocation of 2019 Wayfarer ‘Wayfarer Vineyard’ Pinot Noir that got a huge 95+pts by Parker’s Wine Advocate. This is one of California’s greatest examples of Pinot Noir and rivals the quality of the great Grand Cru’s of the Cote du Nuit. If you appreciate the best, this is the best!!