2014 Wayfarer Vineyard preview in purely domestic wine report
2014 CHARDONNAY, WAYFARER VINEYARD, 815 cs, 97
2014 PINOT NOIR, WAYFARER VINEYARD, ESTATE 1020 cs, 92
2014 PINOT NOIR, MOTHER ROCK, ESTATE 335 cs, 94
2014 PINOT NOIR, GOLDEN MEAN, ESTATE 515 cs, 93
2014 PINOT NOIR PAIGE’S RIDGE, ESTATE 43 cs, 94
2014 PINOT NOIR THE TRAVELER, ESTATE 195 cs, 96
After last year’s efforts from Wayfarer’s Cleo Pahlmeyer and Bibiana González Rave captured Winery Of the Year honors in December, I realized that another tasting was coming up shortly. Bibiana and I finally got together in late February to taste the 2014 vintage. The wines, not due to release until later in the year typify the coolness of the site and the winemaker’s burgundian aesthetic, finally tuned, sublime and balanced.
2014 CHARDONNAY Shows a nose of verbena, lime, chalk, licorice, white blossoms leveled with beautiful intensity and purity. Sublimely fresh and vibrant on palate entry, the core is enormous with pear, toast, lime, lemon, honeyed grains and chalk, finishing with crisp, mouth watering green apple. Possesses beautiful length and vitality. Drink 2016 – 2027.
2014 PINOT NOIR, WAYFARER is comprised of 12 distinct clones; it shows a nose of delightfully nuanced red fruits, herb scented cherry, raspberry and cranberry. The palate is a lean, bright expression concentrating on fresh red fruits persisting through the finish. Drink 2016 – 2022.
2014 PINOT NOIR, MOTHER ROCK The nose shows more savory inclination, spice, polished cherry, graphite and plum. The palate offers fresh cherry and black fruit on entry with solid structure, well balanced finishing with textured licorice, tea and brown spice. Drink 2016 – 2024.
2014 PINOT NOIR, GOLDEN MEAN offers a densely packed nose of blackberry, date and fig with underlying cedar, flint and anise. The palate is densely packed yet supple in the core. Fresh and lively, spice and mint in the well-formed, polished fruit finish. Drink 2016 – 2023.
2014 PINOT NOIR PAIGE’S RIDGE The nose is bright and inviting redolent of spearmint, blackberry and currant. The palate is supple and fresh on entry – lush, lively and light impressions of balanced cherry, orange and lingering floral notes. Drink 2016 – 2024.
2014 PINOT NOIR THE TRAVELER The nose is seriously deep and focused with bright black cherry, pomegranate and sun warmed plum. The palate is brilliantly focused red berry on entry with an underlying firm texture to the expansive blackberry sorbet core. Beautifully integrated. Drink 2016 – 2024.
photo credit: Michael Housewright
