Winter 2026 Release Letter

WINTER 2026 RELEASE

2024 Ways of Wayfarer Chardonnay Waters Ranch Vineyard
2024 Ways of Wayfarer Pinot Noir Prince Hill Vineyard
2024 Wayfarer WF2 Chardonnay
2024 Wayfarer WF2 Pinot Noir
2024 Wayfarer WF2 Rosé

Dear Friends,

2026 marks 40 years of the Pahlmeyer family in wine. My father, Jayson Pahlmeyer, set out with a simple yet audacious goal: to create a “California Mouton.” That journey began in 1986 with Randy Dunn, was honed under the legendary Helen Turley, and eventually led him to the rugged slopes of Atlas Peak, where my father planted Waters Ranch Vineyard in the late 1990s to be the core of Pahlmeyer wines.

Developed by David Abreu, Waters Ranch is draped over the Vaca Mountain Range at 2,200 feet – one of the highest-elevation vineyards in Napa Valley. Here, the vines are shaped by shallow volcanic soil, intense sunlight above the inversion layer, and cool bay winds drawn in from direct sightlines to the Golden Gate Bridge.

To this day, my family has retained ownership of Waters Ranch, and in the last few years, we have been making wine again from our vineyard, now under the Ways of Wayfarer label – wines that carry forward the past with a fresh vision.

Last year, we introduced Ways of Wayfarer beginning with the 2023 Chardonnay from Waters Ranch and Pinot Noir from Prince Hill Vineyard. In 2024 and 2025, we added a Merlot and Red Blend from Waters Ranch, which we will begin releasing in 2027. It has been a powerful journey to honor the history of Waters Ranch and the iconic wines that have come from it, reimagined through a new, modern lens. 

The 2024 Ways of Wayfarer Chardonnay Waters Ranch Vineyard is a faithful reflection of time and place, beautifully balanced with a spine of brilliant acidity and a polished, round, voluminous mouthfeel. This Chardonnay is rich without being heavy, expansive on the entry and mouthwatering on the finish.

My passion for wine has always extended beyond California, and a long-held dream of mine to make Oregon Pinot Noir materialized with the opportunity to work with another historic site – Prince Hill Vineyard. It was originally planted in 1983 by Oregon Pinot pioneer Dick Erath with Clone 95, which he personally brought from Clos Vougeot in Burgundy. The vineyard lies in the heart of Willamette Valley’s prized Dundee Hills, with red volcanic Jory soil and sun-catching southeastern exposure.

2024 was a return to a classic Oregon vintage, and the 2024 Ways of Wayfarer Pinot Noir Prince Hill Vineyard vibrates with energy and savory intensity, enveloped by characteristic silky, powdery tannins.

With Ways of Wayfarer ($75 for the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) and WF2 ($45 for the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, $30 for the Rosé), we are committed to making wines of both exceptional character and value.  WF2 wines possess a true sense of place, outstanding quality, and overdeliver for the price.  Grown and made with the same care and attention we bring to farming and vinifying Wayfarer wines, they are a barrel-by-barrel deselection

Thank you truly for your support. Wayfarer, Ways of Wayfarer, and WF2 are my continuation of my family’s 40 years in wine, and your patronage is vital to our work. 

Sincerely,

Cleo Pahlmeyer