Sonoma Coast’s New Style of High-Acid Chardonnays
Sonoma Coast producers are embracing a new style of Chardonnay driven by complexity and acidity.
USA, Sonoma: Wayfarer
"This is unquestionably a winery to start following."
– Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate
Wayfarer Vineyard: Winery of the Year | 2015
Winery of the Year 2015, Doug Wilder, pdwr
The Extremists of the Extreme Sonoma Coast
The Fort Ross-Seaview AVA may be only three years old, but its ability to produce distinctive and thrilling wines has been recognized for far longer
Press
Sonoma Coast’s New Style of High-Acid Chardonnays
Wine Enthusiast,
May 2018
Top 100 Napa and Sonoma Wines of 2017
JamesSuckling.com,
January 4, 2018
Reviews
Wine
2016 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard
2015 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard
2014 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard
2013 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard
2012 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard
98 points
Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com, August, 13 2018
Starting with the Chardonnay, the 2016 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard is an extraordinary effort as well as world-class.
Offering an ultra-pure bouquet of white flowers, tangerine, crushed citrus, and hints of brioche and marzipan, it hits the
palate with medium-bodied richness, a seamless, elegant texture, riveting acidity, and a great, great finish. It’s certainly one
the gems in the great vintage and is going to benefit from a year or two of bottle age and keep for 15+ years.
96+ points
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, October 31, 2017
The 2015 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard has an intense nose of pineapple, guava and ginger with honeysuckle, marzipan, cashews and brioche. The medium-bodied palate is incredibly taut for such a gregarious nose with wonderful tension framing the pronounced tropical flavors beautifully, finishing with lingering savory notes and a gorgeous creamy texture. 800 cases were made.
98 points
Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast, September 2016
This is yet another stunning wine from this site, guided by the capable hands of Winemaker and Viticulturalist Bibiana González Rave, who has coaxed from it beguiling layers of complex concentration and sublime notions of tang and salt. The only white from a sea of Pinot Noir grown here, it speaks to what the extreme Sonoma Coast can bring to the variety—a celebration of lemon zest, crisp apple and brioche delicately wrapped in minerality. "Editor's Choice"
95 points
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, October 31, 2017
The 2013 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard has a youthful nose of pink grapefruit, white peaches and lemon curd with honeyed toast, beeswax and coriander seed. The palate is very finely crafted, tightly knit and still quite primary, revealing vibrant citrus and stone fruit flavors and a satiny texture, finishing long and minerally.
94 points
Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast, March 2015
Editor's Choice. Estate grown, this is the only white from the Wayfarer Vineyard out on the Fort Ross-Seaview coast, and it’s stunning. Culled from several distinct blocks planted to a handful of clones, including Mt. Eden and Old Wente, the aromas are pretty in orange blossom and peach, the body expansive and flinty. Succulent, the wine offers a lot of layered complexity, making it enjoyable now and through 2020-2022.
