2016 Wayfarer Pinot Noir
Golden Mean

Tasting Notes

Our Golden Mean Pinot Noir combines the elegant perfume of the Swan clone with the earthy aromatics and powerful structure of the Pommard clone. Deep ruby in color, this wine offers delicate dried rose and potpourri aromas, as well as notes of dark chocolate and forest floor—lifted by the barest hints of seabreeze and salinity. The palate has a juicy entry, with flavors of ripe strawberry, pomegranate, and maraschino cherry balanced by good acidity and supported by well-integrated tannins. A hint of powdery mocha rounds out the lingering finish. Enjoy upon release or over the next 10-15 years.

Winemaking Notes

In the pre-dawn hours, the fruit was hand-picked and hand-sorted. We de-stemmed and hand-sorted again, before transferring the berries to tank where five to seven days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of 100% native yeast fermentation. The fruit was then gently pressed, its free-run juice was transferred to 60% new French oak barrels for 15 months of aging.

Vintage Notes

The 2016 vintage showcases elegance and purity of fruit, as the growing season shifted to a more normal time frame after the previous three vintages encountered an early start. The growing season began with above-normal temperatures that eased into more moderate June weather. A minor heat spell in the last days of August and into the first of September brought the vines out of their slow,
methodical ripening.

When the temperature increased, extra care was taken by the vineyard team. Multiple passes through the vineyard paid off—we harvested each block of our Wayfarer Vineyard at peak ripeness, for wines with vibrant fruit and balanced acidity.

Blocks

20, 22, 24, 26A

Clones

Pommard 4, Pommard 5, Swan

Critics

95+ Points

Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com, August 2019

“The 2016 Pinot Noir Golden Mean comes mostly from the Swan clone yet includes plenty of Pommard as well. The cuvée comes from two parcels in the estate vineyard, is cofermented (with around 10% whole cluster), and spent 15 months in 67% new French oak. It offers a more black fruited style with a huge nose of black cherries, scorched earth, charcoal, and just a hint of exotic flowers. Medium-bodied, rich, and structured, it’s another wine that builds with time in the glass. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade.”

95 Points

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, October 2018

"From Pommard and Swan clones with zero whole cluster this year, the 2016 Pinot Noir Golden Mean is medium ruby-purple colored and sings of kirsch, mulberries, black cherries and cranberries with touches of cinnamon stick, red roses, black pepper and black tea plus a waft of mossy bark. Medium-bodied, the palate has beautiful tension with a firm frame of grainy tannins and tons of red and black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note."

Wine Data

Winemaker:
Bibiana González Rave
Origin:
Wayfarer Vineyard, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast
Pruning:
Double Guyot
Vine Yield:
Less than 3lbs per vine
Harvested:
September 8 – September 19, 2016
Bottled:
December 11, 2017
Release:
August 2019
Composition:
100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol:
14.4%
pH:
3.61
Cases Produced:
130

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