Wayfarer Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Pinot Noir 2017

67 points - new release                                   Limited new release from Pahlmeyer's new Sonoma Coast vineyard. Wayfarer is Jayson Pahlmeyer's powerhouse Pinot Noir project and a cult in the making, just down the road from Helen Turley's Marcassin Vineyards. With 15 months in 45% new French Oak you’ll find heaps of bright strawberry jam, lilacs, and spice dancing across your nose. With firm tannin and a long, supple finish, this is going to blow your mind. 96 Points Jeb Dunnuck:  "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." 94 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2017 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is a blend of all the parcels on the property. Pliant, supple and engaging with no hard edges, the 2017 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Sweet floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of ripe red berry fruit. This supple, mid-weight Pinot has so much to offer. Today, it is absolutely delicious, not to mention incredibly inviting. I have a feeling the 2017 has a lot still to say, so I won't be surprised if it is even better in another few years' time." Robert Parker:  "...One of the most impressive vineyard visits I’ve made this year was to the Wayfarer Vineyard in Sonoma Coast’s relatively newly formed Fort Ross-Seaview AVA (established in 2011). I cannot say that I’ve seen a happier looking vineyard in a long time, and by “happy” I refer to the immaculately trimmed, healthy, vivid green vines supporting well-balanced canopies and crop loads. And what a site! Apart from being incredibly remote, down a long, winding mountain road paved by gorgeous old redwoods and leading away from the Pacific Ocean, it’s perched fairly high in the mountains at about 1,100 feet. So, altitude and proximity to the ocean both have a cooling influence, which can be felt when you drive up from the warmer Sonoma plains. But don’t let the cool air fool you—this mountaintop vineyard is a real sun trap!" Cleo Pahlmeyer, daughter of Napa Valley's Jayson Pahlmeyer, came up with the idea to 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.

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