2016 Wayfarer Pinot Noir
The Traveler

Tasting Notes

The Traveler Pinot Noir—made from a single “suitcase clone”—pays homage to the legendary journey of an original vine cutting from Burgundy’s most revered vineyard. The wine has deep ruby color in the glass. Aromas of ripe wild strawberries and hibiscus tea mingle with intriguing hints of earth and unmistakable minerality. On the palate, bright cherry and pomegranate flavors are accented with notes of tamarind spice and leather—balanced by acidity and supported by generous, mouth-enveloping tannins. Toasted almond and orange bitters carry over a long, complex finish. This is a wine that will age beautifully for another ten years.

Winemaking Notes

In the pre-dawn hours, the fruit was hand-picked and hand-sorted, prior to being de-stemmed and delivered to tank by gravity. Six days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of 100% native yeast fermentation. The fruit was then gently pressed, its free-run juice transferred to 80% 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

Clones

Wayfarer