- Home/
Wayfarer Wayfarer Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012
Limited new release from Pahlmeyer's new Sonoma Coast vineyard.Cleo Pahlmeyer, daughter of Napa Valley's Jayson Pahlmeyer, came up with the idea of produce a stand-alone brand from the Wayfarer Vineyard on the Sonoma coast in 2012. According to the St. Helena Star, "then-Pahlmeyer winemaker Helen Turley had called the property the destined 'La Tache of California,' referring to the blessed grand cru in Burgundy." Pahlmeyer teamed up with winemaker Bibiana González Rave, formerly of Lynmar, on this project. The Star: "The 2012 Wayfarer Vineyard Pinot Noir has aromas of sweet cinnamon crumble and red cherries, and leads to an elegant, medium-bodied sip of juicy, ripe red cherries with a touch of spice.95 Points Antonio Galloni: "Dark cherries, red stone fruits, menthol, flint and sweet spices all race out of the glass as the 2012 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard shows off its personality. Exotic and vibrant on the palate, the 2012 dazzles from the very first taste. The combination of sumptuous fruit and Sonoma Coast minerality is simply compelling. What a beautiful wine this is. The 2012 is power and class personified." 94 Points Robert Parker: "The 2012 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard possesses a dense ruby/plum/purple color as well as beautiful aromas of sweet blueberries, blackcurrants, and black cherries intermixed with a foresty component. With a stunning, full-bodied texture, terrific purity and length, sweet, velvety tannin and a plush finish, this hedonistic as well as intellectually satisfying, complex Pinot Noir can be consumed over the next 8-12 years."
Ratings on Delectable
Wayfarer Vineyard
This blend of the vineyard’s 12 prize clones yields a wine of complexity and completeness, the culmination of a far-reaching journey. This wine possesses a beautiful ruby color with aspects of garnet. Vibrant aromas of red cherry, strawberry and raspberry mingle with layers of crushed violet and rose petal, fresh mint and forest floor. New French oak adds even greater complexity with hints of vanilla bean and toasted bread. The entry of the wine is supple and generous, and balances with its firm structure. A harmonious blend of the site’s diverse clones, a panoply of red fruits unfurls on the palate with an emergence of cranberry, pomegranate and raspberry, framed by silky tannins and lifted by bright acidity and mineral undertones. This is a restrained, concentrated wine that opens magically with each sip. The complexity of floral notes and wild red berries lingers on the palate with a lasting finish. We hand-picked and hand-sorted the fruit, reserving 8% for whole-cluster fermentation prior to de-stemming. The remaining berries were de-stemmed and hand-sorted again before transfer to tank. Five to seven days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of 100% native yeast fermentation. The fruit was then gently pressed, its free-run juice transferred to 78% new French oak barrels for 15 months of aging.
This blend of the vineyard’s 12 prize clones yields a wine of complexity and completeness, the culmination of a far-reaching journey. This wine possesses a beautiful ruby color with aspects of garnet. Vibrant aromas of red cherry, strawberry and raspberry mingle with layers of crushed violet and rose petal, fresh mint and forest floor. New French oak adds even greater complexity with hints of vanilla bean and toasted bread. The entry of the wine is supple and generous, and balances with its firm structure. A harmonious blend of the site’s diverse clones, a panoply of red fruits unfurls on the palate with an emergence of cranberry, pomegranate and raspberry, framed by silky tannins and lifted by bright acidity and mineral undertones. This is a restrained, concentrated wine that opens magically with each sip. The complexity of floral notes and wild red berries lingers on the palate with a lasting finish. We hand-picked and hand-sorted the fruit, reserving 8% for whole-cluster fermentation prior to de-stemming. The remaining berries were de-stemmed and hand-sorted again before transfer to tank. Five to seven days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of 100% native yeast fermentation. The fruit was then gently pressed, its free-run juice transferred to 78% new French oak barrels for 15 months of aging.
10
Glen Knight 
Dinner for One!
Dinner for One!
8.9
Robert Rothfield
What a difference a few years in bottle can do! Vibrant, excellent
What a difference a few years in bottle can do! Vibrant, excellent
9.3
Susana
Good fruit
Good fruit
9.2
John Howard
Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries
I've been curious about Wayfarer for a while, but have never tried it. How does it compare in style to Hirsch?
I've been curious about Wayfarer for a while, but have never tried it. How does it compare in style to Hirsch?
8.9
See all reviews and ratings on Delectable WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.