Tasting Notes
Pomegranate, raspberry, orange blossom, potpourri, forest floor, anise and hints of bergamot gradually release from the wine. The aromas and flavors become beautifully integrated and showy with time in the glass. The 2019 Traveler is remarkable for its complex expression of mineral chalkiness, great acidity, detailed structure and length that will last far beyond the last drop in the bottle. Enjoy the experience.
Winemaking Notes
Each block was hand-picked and firm, cool clusters were delivered to the winery before sunrise. The fruit was destemmed before transferring to tank, where five to seven days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of native yeast fermentation. The free run wine was transferred to 67% new French oak barrels for 15 months of aging.
Vintage Notes
2019 began with several months of heavy rainfall. Pinot Noir shoots emerged 10 days later than normal but growth advanced quickly during a warm April, and energy was plentiful in the soil after late rains in May. Flowering was also 10 days later than normal but aligned wonderfully with a change in the weather, as rain clouds gave way to clear skies in June. The summer of 2019 was full of sunshine, yet temperatures were moderate to cool. The average high temperature through July and August was 81oF, perfect for gradual ripening. In drier and warmer vintages, we are more proactive with mowing cover crop, leaf and lateral removal and irrigating the driest blocks, but in 2019 we were able to be patient with the vines. We allowed them to naturally adjust to the energy in the soil and waited until the vines reached their optimal point before moving in with canopy work to help the transition from vegetative growth to fruit maturation. By the time veraison began in early August, the vines were tracking only five days later than normal. 42 days later, we picked our first Pinot Noir on September 16th, and concluded harvest on October 5th.
Blocks
9, 18Clones
Wayfarer
Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com, July 2021
Lastly, the 2019 Pinot Noir The Traveler, from a suitcase clone selection in the vineyard, is more in the style of the Paige's Ridge and Golden Mean with its more linear, focused, incredibly pure personality. Bright wild strawberries, framboise, candied orange, spring flowers, and exotic spice notes all emerge from the glass, and it’s incredible on the palate, with a medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, multi-dimensional mouthfeel that keeps you coming back to the glass. This is pure gold and one of the top 2-3 wines in the vintage. It will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age (it's far from unapproachable today) and knock your socks off over the following decade.
