98pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2023 Pinot Noir Mother Rock is a dark magenta color and comes from shallow soils, giving a more mineral character to the wine, with a sanguine lift to its notes of gravelly earth, pine, black raspberries, compact berries, peppery spice, and rosemary. Medium-bodied, it has a saturating and pure feel, with ripe tannins, mouthwatering tension, pure, shining fruit, bright violet highlights, and dark mineral notes that last on the finish. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.

98pts James Suckling

Aromas of crushed stones, lavender, rose petals, fresh herbs and pine resin. It’s medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit, fine tannins and a creamy, polished, super-crunchy finish. Fresh raspberries at the end. Drinkable now, but better in a few years.

96pts Wine Spectator

Juicy and packed, with mulberry, boysenberry and loganberry coulis notes melded together. There’s a sleek feel to the structure, which is well-embedded, letting the fruit hold center stage with aplomb. The finish shimmers with singed anise, blood orange zest and rooibos tea accents. A head-turning Pinot Noir. Best from 2026 through 2038.

95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

From grapes harvested on October 5, the 2023 Pinot Noir Mother Rock has intoxicating aromas of raspberry, pomegranate and blood orange, and it releases undertones of earth, conifer, charcuterie and rose petals as it airs in the glass. The palate is just as compelling, offering concentrated flavors that segue from berry and flowers to citrus and spice. It’s framed by soft, powdery tannins and vibrant acidity and finishes with a flourish of spicy accents.

Winery Notes

Wayfarer was founded as a secluded farmstead more than 40 years ago, before its locale was defined as the now coveted Fort Ross Seaview AVA. In 1989, Jayson Pahlmeyer's winemaker, Helen Turley, discovered the site for sale down the road from her Marcassin vineyard. She introduced Pahlmeyer, declaring it destined to become "the La Tache of California."

In tandem with his daughter Cleo and renowned winemaker Bibiana Gonzales Rave, Pahlmeyer drives to make intricate wines of transcendence, answering to powerful, ever-unpredictable climate that rewards only the most observant and meticulous. It is an endeavor of true passion, an experiment that pushes the exactitude of winegrowing and winemaking to the farthest limits.

Tasting Notes

A rich ruby in the glass, the 2023 Pinot Noir ‘Mother Rock’ is extraordinarily perfumed, presenting layered aromas of Morello cherry, crushed violet petals, black tea leaf, cocoa powder and dusty red earth. Focused fruit character and savory notes beautifully intertwine, bolstered by velvety and supple tannin. A vibrant and lifted acidity persists through to a lengthy finish, showcasing the tension between bright fruit and the minerality indicative of Mother Rock.