Vertical Contains: 2X 2016 | 1X 2017 | 1X 2018 | 2X 2019

2016

97pts Jeb Dunnuck

Leading off the Pinot Noirs, the 2016 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard was completely destemmed and spent 15 months in 45% new French oak. It offers a bright framboise, cranberry, exotic flower, and spice-driven bouquet that carries to a medium-bodied, silky Pinot Noir that has everything in all the right places. Showing more floral, spice, and forest floor with time in the glass, incredible tannin quality, and a great finish, it’s certainly on par with the single parcel/clone driven releases.

95pts Wine Enthusiast

This estate-grown beauty is succulent and supple, with a tense body of bright wild strawberry, crushed rock, dried lavender and Asian spice. Robustly rich and deeply layered in flavor and texture, it finishes in a gorgeous dabble of white pepper.

94pts James Suckling

This offers exceptional detail in terms of aromas and flavors with a ripe array of red cherries, framed in seductively spicy oak and fresh, youthful, meaty notes. There’s a long, plush and succulent feel to the palate with elegant, fine-grained tannins, delivered in silky and regal style. Impressive precision. Drink or hold.

92pts Wine Spectator

Features a distinctive edge of tangy red berry, raspberry and cranberry flavors. Refined and elegant, even as the fine-grained tannins weigh in on the aftertaste. Drink now through 2024.

92pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2016 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is medium ruby-purple with lovely red cherries, redcurrants and pomegranate notes with touches of dried herbs and forest floor. The palate is medium to full-bodied with tons of bright fruit layers and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and juicy.

2017

95pts James Suckling

This has very complex aromas of primary fruit, wild herbs, blue fruit and a spicy, meaty edge. Assertive oak meets rich fruit. The palate is impressively pure, supple and richly flavored with blueberries and cherries. Such concentrated and delicious, darker-fruited pinot here.

95pts Jeb Dunnuk

The largest production cuvée based on a mix of clones, the 2017 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard was mostly destemmed and spent 15 months in 50-60% new French oak. It reveals a bright ruby-tinged color and offers a feminine style in its notes of raspberries, flowers, rose hips, and spice. It's fine, incredibly elegant, has fine tannins, and just glides over the palate.

94pts Wine Enthusiast

Smoky oak lies beneath thick tangy red fruit laced in high-toned acidity that takes on a quality of citrus in this bold and beautiful estate wine. Full bodied, with plenty of power, it displays remarkable grace that contrasts and complements the firm structured tannin.

93pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2017 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is made from the 11 different clones grown on the property. Medium ruby-purple, it features crushed gravel, cranberry, sliced blueberry, rhubarb, moss-covered bark and stewed black tea leaves with hints of classy new oak. Medium-bodied, it has an intense fruit core with earthy accents, a silky, rounded texture and a soft frame of grainy tannins. It has juicy freshness and a long finish. This is a full, lush style with satisfying nuance and layering.

92pts Wine Spectator

Very creamy, featuring pastry notes to the inky red plum, sandalwood and dried berry flavors. Mocha latte details show on the rich finish, with medium-grained tannins.

2018

98pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2018 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard has a medium ruby color and slowly opening perfume of garrigue, dried orange peel, prosciutto and rose petals with mineral-laced cranberry and red and black berry fruits. The medium-bodied palate, grainy and incredibly fresh, slowly gains in flavor amplitude and nuance in the mouth, ending in a fanfare of spicy detail. Rating: 98+

96pts Jeb Dunnuck

Moving to the Pinot Noirs, the 2018 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard was just about completely destemmed and spent 15 months in 58% new French oak. This deeper ruby/purple-hued effort offers an awesome bouquet of black raspberries, scorched earth, toasted spices, and flowery incense. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, and a stunning effort. It also happens to be made in terrific quantities, with just over 1,600 cases produced. Bravo!

93pts Wine Spectator

Redolent of raspberry tart, with hints of lemon zest, this is a lively, fruity version that offers plenty of zesty acidity. The plush finish exudes an opulent creaminess, along with ample spice. Drink now through 2025.

2019

95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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!

94pts Wine Spectator

Svelte and richly spiced, with plush, concentrated flavors of dark fruit and berries swathed with ripe acidity. Loamy hints to the Asian spice accents, with lots of chocolaty nuances on the finish.

94pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2019 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is one of the more approachable Pinots in the lineup, yet smart money will still give bottles a handful of years in the cellar. Spiced cherries, mulberries, spicy oak, violets, and orange blossom all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with a round, expansive texture, more velvety tannins, and a great finish.

Winemaker Notes

2016 (2 bottles)

Dark and Intense. “A classic vintage, the 2016 is just beginning to hint at tertiary aromatics. Forest floor and umami join in with an intense medley of blackberry, star anise and raw leather. The long, cool 2016 growing season shows in the dense, dark palate and ethereal minerality. This wine continues to impress with age and it is exciting to watch it evolve over time.” Todd Kohn, Winemaker

2017 (1 bottle)

Red Fruits and Richness. “Velvety tannins and notes of cherry, blueberry and strawberry jam hint at the warmer 2017 vintage. Elements of rich chocolate and a touch of orange zest join in on the palate. For all the opulence in this wine, there is levity on the finish that brings balance and elegance. The 2017 is in a lovely stage for enjoyment.” Todd Kohn, Winemaker

2018 (1 bottle)

Bright and floral. “Fresh and visceral, the 2018 remains a lively wine. Aromas of bright red fruits, lavender and violets abound, with pomegranate and ripe cranberry exploding on the palate. The juiciness is seductive and carries the mid-palate through to the lengthy finish. This wine should be decanted for immediate enjoyment.” Todd Kohn, Winemaker

2019 (2 bottles)

Savory and Serious. “Vibrant notes of marionberry and blood orange blend with subtle aromas of baking spice and fresh gougère as perfumed rose petal rises from the glass. The palate is concentrated and expansive, with supple tannin, dark fruits and decadent mocha notes persisting on the finish. A youthful wine, decanting will aid in opening the aromatics, and few more years in bottle will not disappoint.” Todd Kohn, Winemaker