2013 Wayfarer Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard Fort Ross Seaview MAGNUM

WINERY NOTES

Tasting Notes This rich and harmonious cuvee of 12 Pinot Noir clones beautifully showcases Wayfarer’s vibrant spectrum of single-vineyard, estate-grown fruit. The wine is a dazzling deep ruby color that leads with heady aromas of wild blackcurrant and freshly picked strawberry. It evolves with notes of licorice and toasted oak, finishing with an intriguing lilt of forest floor, leather, rose petal and raspberry. The bright, juicy entry evokes flavors of cranberry and cherry, harmonized with a grip of fine tannins and earthy tones of cedar and tar. The long finish surprises with its fresh minerality and intense aromatics of violet and Tahitian vanilla. Showy now with two hours of decanting at cellar temperature, watch this wine evolve beautifully with cellaring up to 15 years.

Winemaking Notes We hand-picked and hand-sorted the fruit, setting aside 8% for whole-cluster fermentation. The remaining berries were then 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 40% new French oak barrels for 15 months of aging.

Vintage Notes The 2013 growing season was initially noted for its 40%-below-average rainfall amidst California’s escalating drought. However, the vintage will ultimately be remembered for its intense, concentrated flavors and exceptional quality across every vineyard block. Mild spring temperatures beckoned bud break as normal beginning March 21st on the west-facing slope of Block 20. While a touch of gentle spring rain accelerated canopy growth, strategic shoot positioning and leaf removal afforded ideal air circulation and sun exposure for the beautifully formed clusters. Veraison began on July 26th and our block-by-block harvest began September 4th on the east side of the es