Wayfarer
Mother Rock Fort Ross - Seaview Sonoma County Pinot Noir
Sonoma County, California, USA
By far the most savory and earthy of the 2014 Wayfarer wines I tasted from the estate. Smoky flint aromas, Asian spice, saline character and more on the elegant side. Fruit recedes more into the background, but overall a very complex and appealing blend.
By far the most savory and earthy of the 2014 Wayfarer wines I tasted from the estate. Smoky flint aromas, Asian spice, saline character and more on the elegant side. Fruit recedes more into the background, but overall a very complex and appealing blend.
Jun 15th, 2018
A cuvée of Dijon clones 37 and 777, “Mother Rock” is named for Wayfarer’s sandstone substrate which urges our vines to burrow deeply, their fruit echoing the unlocked terrain below. Flinty minerality ascends from the glass, a tribute to the wine’s earthy origins. Intense, bright fruit aromatics evoke raspberry, red cherry, strawberry, blueberry and red currant underscored by mineral notes and a delicate woody character achieved with aging in fine French oak. A mouth-coating cascade of cassis and black cherry carries through the long finish, bolstered by balancing acidity and velvety tannins.
We hand-picked and hand-sorted the fruit, reserving 24% for whole-cluster fermentation prior to de-stemming. The remaining berries were de-stemmed and hand-sorted again before transfer to tank. Five to seven days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of 100% native yeast fermentation. The fruit was then gently pressed, its free-run juice transferred to 56% new French oak barrels for 15 months of aging.
A cuvée of Dijon clones 37 and 777, “Mother Rock” is named for Wayfarer’s sandstone substrate which urges our vines to burrow deeply, their fruit echoing the unlocked terrain below. Flinty minerality ascends from the glass, a tribute to the wine’s earthy origins. Intense, bright fruit aromatics evoke raspberry, red cherry, strawberry, blueberry and red currant underscored by mineral notes and a delicate woody character achieved with aging in fine French oak. A mouth-coating cascade of cassis and black cherry carries through the long finish, bolstered by balancing acidity and velvety tannins.
We hand-picked and hand-sorted the fruit, reserving 24% for whole-cluster fermentation prior to de-stemming. The remaining berries were de-stemmed and hand-sorted again before transfer to tank. Five to seven days of cold maceration preceded more than two weeks of 100% native yeast fermentation. The fruit was then gently pressed, its free-run juice transferred to 56% new French oak barrels for 15 months of aging.
14' Wayfarer Fort Ross- Seaview "Chardonnay". Winemaker Bibiana Gonzalez Rave (Also Pahlmeyer) & the daughter of Jason (Cleo).They're making some world-class California burgundy style wines.
Decant this for a bit. Could this possibly be confused for a white burgundy ? Nevertheless… Medium plus bodied. Wet straw in color. Melon, honey on the nose. Apricot, melon (again), peach, toasted oak ,balanced acidity. Finished with very little minerality. Drinking at cellar temperature.
Very nice bottle of chard. Love to revisit this again in two years.
14' Wayfarer Fort Ross- Seaview "Chardonnay". Winemaker Bibiana Gonzalez Rave (Also Pahlmeyer) & the daughter of Jason (Cleo).They're making some world-class California burgundy style wines.
Decant this for a bit. Could this possibly be confused for a white burgundy ? Nevertheless… Medium plus bodied. Wet straw in color. Melon, honey on the nose. Apricot, melon (again), peach, toasted oak ,balanced acidity. Finished with very little minerality. Drinking at cellar temperature.
Very nice bottle of chard. Love to revisit this again in two years.
Blackberry and cèpes with a touch of salinity
Blackberry and cèpes with a touch of salinity
Nov 10th, 2016Bibiana rocks! Aromas of fresh fruit and stems of red roses are followed by a discrete juiciness and silky mouthfeel. Todd has found another superb mentor.
Bibiana rocks! Aromas of fresh fruit and stems of red roses are followed by a discrete juiciness and silky mouthfeel. Todd has found another superb mentor.
Jul 16th, 2015
Not the best showing for this wine. The 14.4% was really dominant tonight
Not the best showing for this wine. The 14.4% was really dominant tonight
Apr 30th, 2024
Super rich intense nose of black pepper, charcoal, and tobacco. Smoothe, strong, and oaky on the palate with fig, prune, and a long peppery finish. It’s just not my taste.
Super rich intense nose of black pepper, charcoal, and tobacco. Smoothe, strong, and oaky on the palate with fig, prune, and a long peppery finish. It’s just not my taste.
Dec 25th, 2023It’s really well balanced Pinot Noir.
It’s really well balanced Pinot Noir.
Nov 11th, 2021
Ripe fruits, black cherry, cherry cola, raspberry, blackberry
Salty, smoky, cured meat savoriness, slight herbal character
Medium to full bodied with balancing acidity, the palate has a refreshing tart red cherry note. Long finish.
A really nice Sonoma coast PN, if a bit bigger than I personally like
Ripe fruits, black cherry, cherry cola, raspberry, blackberry
Salty, smoky, cured meat savoriness, slight herbal character
Medium to full bodied with balancing acidity, the palate has a refreshing tart red cherry note. Long finish.
A really nice Sonoma coast PN, if a bit bigger than I personally like
Writer/Photographer Wine Enthusiast Magazine
A friend makes this. I will only say, she is one of CA's best winemakers. Brilliant
A friend makes this. I will only say, she is one of CA's best winemakers. Brilliant
Mar 27th, 2016