2024 Wayfarer Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

The 2024 ‘Mother Rock’ has a seductive nose of crushed fresh raspberries, black cherry, star anise, and wet stone. On the palate it is refined and linear, with focused acidity and polished dark fruit. Powdery tannins, reminiscent of raw cacao powder, give real depth to the wine, which remains silky and fresh through a long, lingering finish.

About Mother Rock

Harvested from vines along two perpendicular ridgelines where our soil is the shallowest, the vine roots reach deep into the sandstone bedrock. ‘Mother Rock’ expresses purity of fruit and intensity of flavor while maintaining nerve and precision and a distinctive mineral finish. It is a co-fermentation of two clonal selections, Mount Eden and Dijon 777.

Winemaking Notes

Each block was harvested by hand at night, with firm, cool clusters delivered to the winery before sunrise. The fruit was hand-sorted and fully destemmed before being gently elevated by conveyor into a stainless steel tank for five to six days of cold maceration. Fermentation was carried out by native yeast; the cap was punched down by hand, with frequency and technique guided by tasting the tank daily. Exclusively free-run wine aged in 228L French oak barrels, 44% new, for 15 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Vintage Notes

The 2024 Wayfarer wines are the product of an even, warm vintage that brought all components into balance, yielding great complexity, texture and depth. Rainfall was moderate throughout the cool winter months and into early spring, replenishing the vines without saturating the soil. Bloom occurred on schedule in late May, and warm weather continued throughout June and July, leading to even veraison during the first week of August. Harvest was also right on schedule, lasting from September 5th to the 30th. While peak temperatures throughout the growing season were above average, nighttime temperatures dipped lower than usual – the greatest diurnal shift on record at Wayfarer. This pronounced daily temperature swing developed intense flavors, bringing great character and structure to the wines, while maintaining a vibrant core of acidity. The vintage also brought more coastal wind than usual, which thickened the grape skins and focused the vines’ energy on berry development, deepening the nuance and density of the wines. Open and generous now, the 2024s will age gracefully over the next ten years.

Blocks

3, 11

Clones

Dijon 777, Mount Eden

Critics

97 Points

James Suckling, James Suckling, June 2026

Tight and lean, with extremely focused aromas of strawberries, raspberries and hints of orange peel and crushed stones. Medium-bodied with bright fruit and fine tannins in the finish. Very fresh and vivid. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two.

96 Points

Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck, June 2026

A co-fermented blend of Mt. Eden and 777 clones picked the same day, the 2024 Pinot Noir Mother Rock is incredibly pretty, with wild raspberries. Focused and energetic rather than overtly showy, it reveals citrus peel, mineral spice, and remarkable nervous energy that continues to evolve in the glass. Drink 2026-2046.

94-96 Points

Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2026

The 2024 Pinot Noir Mother Rock is a potent wine with deep mineral and savory inflections. It was aged in equal parts standard barrel and 500-liter barrel. Red-toned fruit, iron, spice, white pepper, gravel and dried flowers all drive through this potent, explosive Pinot. It will be interesting to see if this softens.