Press
West Sonoma Coast - an introduction
The West Sonoma Coast is not an official appellation, but is a region recognised by vintners throughout the area for the quality and refinement of the wines it produces. ‘These wines', Ehren Jordan of Failla tells me, ‘defy most people’s expectations of what California can do.’ We’re standing in the Failla cellar tasting through his many cuvées from the West Sonoma Coast, discussing wines of the region generally. It is well understood that California can offer big flavour. At… Read More
Cleo Pahlmeyer - Not just the farmer's daughter
Hippies plus a school for wayward children merged with the queen of California Burgundy style wines and a trained fine art specialist — what does that equal?If you’re Jayson Pahlmeyer, you take this strange combination and create a new leader in California Pinot Noir.Jayson, the proprietor of the prestigious Napa winery, Pahlmeyer, had the great good fortune or extraordinary intuition to hire Helen Turley as his winemaker twenty years ago. Mostly famous for his red Bordeaux blend, he… Read More
Wayfarer Tasting with Bibiana González Rave
From the superbly talented viticulturist/winemaker Bibiana González Rave, the current vintage is full of excellent to extraordinary wines. Read More
Wayfarer Wins Pigs & Pinot Ultimate Smackdown
After four rousing rounds of "March Madness" style wine competition (and lots of smack talk from the four Master Sommeliers leading the seminar), the audience ultimately named Wayfarer the winner. Read More
Top Ten West Sonoma Coast Wineries
West Sonoma Coast is a leading producer of ultra premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and cool climate Syrah. It is home to some of my favorite growing areas, including magical Occidental, Freestone, and the newer Fort Ross-‐Seaview sub-appellation. There are plenty of great wineries in Sonoma’s sub-appellations; however, the Coast has always held a very special place in my heart. Folks from this stunningly beautiful area are pretty easy to find irresistible, as are their wines. They are… Read More
Sonoma, Anderson Valley and Beyond: New Releases
These new and upcoming releases from Wayfarer confirm all the promise I sensed last year. Simply put, the wines are stunning. Cleo Pahlmeyer and winemaker Bibiana González Rave are doing magnificent work here. Wayfarer makes five different Pinots; the Wayfarer is meant to be a representation of the entire property, while the other bottlings explore the unique attributes of a number of single parcels on the estate. At the moment, there is only one Chardonnay, but I would not be surprised to see… Read More
California's Côte d'Or
West Sonoma Coast Vintners are a band apart. Read More
Wayfarer Releases Inaugural Wines from a Remote Ridge on Sonoma Coast
Like so many wine aficionados, Jayson Pahlmeyer’s passion for wine was ignited by the wines of Bordeaux, and his eponymous winery in Napa Valley, Pahlmeyer, has been among the top echelon of wineries producing Bordeaux-styled wines as well as Chardonnay. He would admit, “All I could think about was creating my own California Mouton.” Over time, with that goal well in hand, he became increasingly captivated by the wines of Burgundy, exclaiming, “Every oenophile eventually gravitates to… Read More
Pahlmeyer Introduces Wayfarer Vineyard Wines
Vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer and daughter Cleo to release the first estate grown Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay from their Wayfarer Vineyard this fall. Read More
Go-to spots for the best coastal chardonnays
Wayfarer Chardonnay listed as one of the best. Read More
