Wayfarer Pinot Noir comes from this rolling hilltop vineyard in the northern Sonoma Coast.

This Wayfarer Pinot Noir comes from their estate vineyard on King Ridge in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. That AVA is very close to the ocean but its altitude—1,100 feet at this particular site–puts vines above the fog line and ensures plenty of sun balances the cool Pacific breezes. Despite the area’s plentiful rain outside the growing season, thin and well-drained hilltop soils keep vigor down, intensity high.

Wayfarer Vineyard, planted for proprietor Jayson Pahlmeyer by David Abreu in 2002, consists of 30 one-acre blocks. Each of those blocks is dedicated to a particular clone, 12 of those are Pinot Noir. The Wayfarer Pinot Noir below employs all 12, to create a complex, well-rounded portrait of the vineyard as a whole.

Bibiana Gonzalez Rave, current San Francisco Chronicle Winemaker-of-the-Year, oversees the vineyard and produces the wines. She uses only ambient yeast and ferments each block separately. She makes decisions on oak usage lot-by-lot. Wines are typically aged in barrel, all French oak, for 12–15 months and then held in bottle for a while prior to release.

2013 Wayfarer Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, Sonoma County 94 14.5% 750ml $85

This very flavorful, yet balanced and pretty Pinot Noir, is deep ruby-purple in the glass. Black cherry is at the fore of the expressive nose, supported by dark flowers, baking spice and orange pith. Medium to medium+ body in the mouth with fine, silky tannins and a long, lightly mouthwatering finish. Flavors are consistent with the nose, especially that core of black cherry fruit. Drink now through 2022+.

The current vintage of this wine is 2014. But there appears to be plenty of 2013 left in the market. I bought this bottle at a restaurant last night and I see plenty of resellers showing it available too.

Copyright Fred Swan 2016. Photo courtesy of Wayfarer. All rights reserved.