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2019 Wayfarer Wayfarer Vineyard Mother Rock Pinot Noir

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

September 29, 2024 - $81

Estimate

RATINGS

96+ The Wine Advocate

...scents of graphite and dashi, with plush, ripe red and blackberry fruit and notes of dried lavender and star anise...palate is spectacular, satiny in texture and fanning out to dark, spicy flavors with a fresh burst of acidity and a very long, layered finish.

96Vinous / IWC

Pliant and supple, with silky tannins... Time in the glass brings out a whole range of savory and mineral inflections that perk up the finish.

96James Suckling

A fragrant nose of ripe red and black fruit with violets and cooking spice coming through as well. Full-bodied with integrated tannins and a strong dark-mineral character. So much depth of flavor with steady intensity on the long finish. Cocoa and espresso at the end. Lovely balance.

95Wine Enthusiast

Lush in mouthfeel...velvety from start to finish, with undeniable power and intensity. Dark fruit, fig and cacao nib play around...lengthy tannin...

95Jeb Dunnuck

...a brilliant, medium to full-bodied, layered, exotic style revealing lots of creamy red and darker berry fruits, spicy wood, flowers, and black tea-like aromas and flavors...has a beautifully expansive mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and a great finish.

93Wine Spectator

Ripe and succulent, with delicious black cherry and blackberry coulis notes streaming through, this shows richness but stays racy and light on its feet. Adds in subtle sparkles of anise and red tea on the finish.

16Jancis Robinson

More flesh...very good structure with dark fruit, fine oak, ripe tannins, spicy and savoury on the finish.

PRODUCER

Wayfarer

Wayfarer is a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir estate with a classy pedigree. It was founded in 2002 by Jayson Pahlmeyer, an attorney who in 1985 founded Pahlmeyer winery and hired legendary winemaker Helen Turley. In the late 1990s Pahlmeyer became intrigued by Burgundian wines and tried to buy vineyards in Burgundy, only to have the sale fall through at the last minute. Instead he found an organic farm for sale on the ridges of the Sonoma Coast near Helen Turley’s Marcassin vineyard. Pahlmeyer bought the 30 acres and David Abreu planted vineyards in 2002. Pahlmeyer runs the estate with his daughter Cleo and consulting winemaker Bibiana Gonzalez Rave. The estate and its wines are all in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, a northern Sonoma Coast AVA only just approved in 2012. The Wayfarer vineyard is 1,100 feet high, resulting in plenty of sun as well as cooling marine breezes. The estate makes several Pinot Noirs and one Chardonnay. Reviews have been impressed, awarding some of the wines scores in the high 90s. The journal Vinous has written that “simply put, the wines are stunning.”

REGION

United States, California, Sonoma County, Fort Ross-Seaview

Sonoma County is not an AVA, but it is a commonly used informal designation for wines made outside of more specific AVAs within Sonoma, which is a large wine producing region just west of Napa Valley. Though Sonoma is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbor Napa Valley, it has a long history of wine production. The area specialized in jug wine until the mid-20th century, when Sonoma producers took a cue from Napa and started improving quality. Unlike Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Sonoma specialized in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, though excellent Cabs are produced too. There are at present 16 AVAs within Sonoma County, and, like much of the West Coast of the United States, new AVAs are created in Sonoma County with regularity. Some Sonoma appellations, such as the Russian River Valley, are renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.