2018 Wayfarer "Wayfarer Vineyard" Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir

The 2018 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard was just about completely destemmed and spent 15 months in 58% new French oak. This deeper ruby/purple-hued effort offers an awesome bouquet of black raspberries, scorched earth, toasted spices, and flowery incense. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, and a stunning effort. Bravo!

This spectacular Pinot Noir comes from a singular estate over 1000ft high on the ridge top of the coastal mountains in the far west of the Sonoma Coast. Planted to over 30 different blocks, clones and rootstocks - this is one of the most incredible sites in California. Wayfarer's neighbors include Sonoma Coast icons such as Hirsch and Flowers that have long proven the areas ability to produce transcendent Pinot Noir and Wayfarer is continuing in that long tradition. A floral nose of rose petal, forest berries, baking spice, pomegranate, leafy forest floor notes, freshly tilled soil. It has a wonderful volume of pure, ripe fruit, but also shows the cool climate of it's origins in it's invigorating lift and poise. Richly fruit but energized and balanced by bright, juicy acids. A luxurious top note of beautifully integrated barrel spice tops it off. Very accessible and in top form right now, but will no doubt also perform well for a decade plus in the cellar. This stunning wine is certainly worthy of the massive scores bestowed upon it, my only concern is how much extra will subsequent releases cost if this wine keeps getting such astronomical press!?