2018 Wayfarer Pinot Noir
The Traveler

The Traveler is exceptionally expressive in 2018 – the descriptors are seemingly endless. Strawberry and raspberry interplay with floral notes of rose and white flowers. Blood orange, roasted almonds and forest floor emerge as the wine continues to open in the glass. The palate is just as pleasing as the aromatics, with gorgeous floral notes and red fruits. The tannin is silky, and The Traveler’s signature finish remains long after the glass is empty.

We hand-picked each block and delivered firm, cool clusters to the winery before sunrise. We then hand-sorted and destemmed the fruit before transferring to tank, where seven to ten days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of 100% native yeast fermentation. The free run wine was transferred to 83% new French oak for 15 months of aging.

2018 was marked by a long and temperate growing season that allowed for an ideal harvest. The Pinot Noir vines began to emerge on March 31st. Annual rainfall was only 37.5 inches, 35% below average, however a large portion of this rain came in April. With spring rain filling the soil profile, the vines were able to thrive in the early growing season and continued to revel in moderate weather through May. Bloom occurred during the first days of June, and an idyllic summer allowed for a long ripening period. With high temperatures between 79 and 82 degrees throughout August, and a moderately cool September, we were able to pick precisely as the fruit reached phenolic ripeness, leading to wonderful tannin texture and exceptional aromatics.