2021 Wayfarer Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

A vivid ruby in the glass, the 2022 Pinot Noir ‘The Traveler’ reveals perfumed aromas of Morello cherry, pomegranate and crushed raspberry accompanied by bergamot, thyme, orange peel, iron, forest floor and licorice. Our most dynamic wine, The Traveler defies description, continually transforming in the glass over a period of hours. Defined by a thrilling vibrancy, complex savory tones, a paradoxical impression of weightlessness, and a persistent and concentrated finish, The Traveler will age beautifully in your cellar for a decade or more. The vines that create The Traveler bottling were originally cuttings from a famed Vosne-Romanée Grand Cru vineyard in Burgundy, France that were smuggled into California in the early 1990s – giving our most nuanced and soulful wine its name.

Winemaking Notes

Each block was picked by hand at night, and firm, cool clusters were delivered to the winery before sunrise. We hand-sorted and fully destemmed the fruit before transferring it into stainless steel tanks for eight days of cold maceration. Fermentation was carried out by native yeast, and we punched the cap down by hand, with the frequency and technique determined by tasting each tank daily. The free run wine aged in 228L French oak barrels, 50% new, for 11 months prior to bottling.

Vintage Notes

Wayfarer's 2022 vintage showcases the tension between a cool growing season and warm harvest. Budbreak came two weeks earlier than average, resulting in an early September harvest. Wayfarer received significant rainfall in the winter months, replenishing the soil, followed by a very dry April and May, which moderated vigor in the vineyard. June rains required diligent canopy management to balance airflow and sunlight, which proved to be essential to both ripen the fruit in a cooler year, and to not overexpose it to heat later in the season. With below-average temperatures in June and July, 2022 was a cool growing season on the Sonoma Coast until the weather warmed significantly during harvest. However, even on the hottest days, Wayfarer experienced a diurnal shift of 30 degrees Fahrenheit, preserving acidity and freshness in the fruit. Due to a series of prior drought years, 2022 was a very low-yielding vintage, with Chardonnay production down 50% and Pinot Noir production down 35%, creating a profound concentration in the wines. The 2022 wines display the luxurious texture and fruit-driven character of a warm harvest with the elegance and vibrancy of a cool growing season.

Blocks

9, 18

Clones

Wayfarer

Critics

98 Points

Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck, June 2024

The 2022 Pinot Noir The Traveler is a deep magenta ruby hue and is entirely from a suitcase clone that is now referred to as the "Wayfarer Clone." In the glass, it reveals a complex and layered nose of ripe cherries, wildflowers, black raspberries, forest herbs, and blood orange. It’s driving on the palate, with refined tannins and coiled, bright acidity throughout, and it’s fully ripe but has a persistently long finish. Not a wine for the faint of heart, it’s built for the long haul and is going to show its best if given time in the cellar. Drink 2026-2046.

98 Points

Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2024

The 2022 Pinot Noir The Traveler is captivating. It is also one of the most dense, powerful wines in this range. Blue/purplish fruit, menthol, lavender, mocha and licorice are all amplified. Time reveals more delicacy, while soft, silky contours wrap it all together. This is inky and plush, with seamless balance and mind-blowing intensity. What a wine!

95 Points

Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate, March 2024

The 2022 Pinot Noir The Traveler is bursting with cranberry, strawberry and raspberry perfume and accents of mixed tea leaves, mushroom, amaro and floral perfume. The medium-bodied palate offers waves of kaleidoscopic berry fruit yet has a weightless feel with its silky tannins and bright acidity, and it has a very long, spicy finish. It's drinking beautifully now, though you could cellar it for a decade or more.

94 Points

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, September 2024

Very expressive, delivering plump-edged mulberry, boysenberry and raspberry reduction notes inlaid with light apple wood, anise and iris details. Seamless acidity provides the support, while a late flash of potpourri gives this a nice finishing kick. Drink now through 2034.