Adventures on the Pinot Trail: World of Pinot Noir: The Tastings

Wayfarer Pinot Noir was the most exciting find at this year’s World of Pinot Noir. This new label from Jayson and Cleo Pahlmeyer features estate grown Wayfarer Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Wayfarer Vineyard is 30 acres of Goldridge soil hidden among the redwoods two coastal ridges from the Pacific Ocean. Formerly a family owned organic farm known as ‘Wayfarer,’ and just down the mountain road from Marcassin Vineyard in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, Helen Turley declared it destined to be “the La Tache of California.” Considerable effort was needed to transform the property in the remote Sonoma Coast wilderness into a world-class vineyard. Viticulturist David Abreu divided the site into 30 one-acre blocks, each dedicated to a single clone determined to be the best match for the block: 16 clones in all. The Wayfarer fruit was blended into Pahlmeyer’s Sonoma Coast wines beginning in 2005. I visited the vineyard in 2004 with then Pahlmeyer winemaker Erin Green (see the PinotFile, Colume 3, Issue 24). The wines are vinified now by talented winemaker Bibiana Gonzáles Rave who was trained in viticulture and winemaking in the vineyards of France. I have been impressed with her talent and drive since our first meeting at the World of Pinot Noir when I interviewed her for Grape Radio. The scheduled inaugural releases will be in the fall of 2014. My advice is to get on the mailing list now while you can at www.wayfarervineyard.com.

2012 Wayfarer Estate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 5-7% whole cluster.
2012 Wayfarer Golden Mean Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 25% whole cluster.
2012 Wayfarer The Traveler Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 32% whole cluster. A DRC suitcase selection.

The wines are still a bit tight and thus won’t be released until fall. That said, these were the best Pinot Noirs I tasted at the World of Pinot Noir. I was so enraptured that I failed to write any tasting notes except “a fiesta in the mouth: WOW!”