Wayfarer Pinot Noir The Estate 2023
(Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast, California) - [VM 97] [JS 97] [JD 96+] [WA 96] [WS 95 & #8 Top 100 of '25] [DM 95]

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About this Winery:
Wayfarer is located in Sonoma Coast's relatively newly formed Fort Ross-Seaview AVA (established in 2011). The 30-acre vineyard site was originally brought to the attention of Jayson Pahlmeyer by eagle-eyed Helen Turley (former consulting winemaker for Pahlmeyer), whose Marcassin vineyard is just down the road. The vineyard was designed and planted by David Abreu in 2002, exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. There are twelve Pinot Noir clones and four Chardonnay clones planted, among which there are only five Dijon clones, the rest being local heritage clones. 

Beginning in 2005, fruit from Wayfarer Vineyard went into Pahlmeyer Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With the 2012 vintage, the fruit was deemed appropriate for a separate Wayfarer Vineyard label. Thus in the fall of 2014, the first estate Wayfarer Vineyard wines from the 2012 vintage were released. The wines have garnered extremely high scores from the wine press following that inaugural release. The property is now adeptly managed by Cleo Pahlmeyer, Jayson's daughter, while Bordeaux and Burgundy-trained Bibiana Gonzalez Rave served as both initial winemaker and vineyard manager. Todd Kohn joined the Pahlmeyers as assistant winemaker in 2013, when Wayfarer’s first vintage was in barrel. In 2017, Cleo took the helm of her family’s wine business and appointed Todd Winemaker.

Tasting Notes
The 2023 Pinot Noir “The Estate” flaunts a vibrant ruby hue in the glass. Expressive, layered aromatics evoke alpine strawberry, black raspberry, crushed rose petal, green cardamon, pomegranate and fresh sage. The seamless pure fruit character is framed with firm but finely textured tannin and elevated with a fresh backbone of acidity. While drinking beautifully now, this vintage will continue to develop nuance and complexity in the bottle for the next decade.

Winemaking Notes
We hand-picked each block and delivered firm, cool clusters to the winery before sunrise. We then hand-sorted the fruit and reserved 7% for whole-cluster fermentation.  The remainder of the fruit was destemmed before transferring to tank, for three to eight days of cold maceration preceded 100% native yeast fermentation. The free run wine was transferred to 46% new French oak for 15 months of aging prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered.

ONLY 1,312 CASES MADE

Ratings & Reviews

97 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2023 Pinot Noir The Estate is a blend of all clones and main blocks on the estate. Seamless and layered in feel, the 2023 is absolutely exquisite. Silky contours wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit, dried flowers, mint and mocha. All the elements are so well balanced to the degree that nothing sticks out. The 7% stems are expertly judged. This, too, needs time to be at its most expressive." – Antonio Galloni (Jan 2025)

97 Points - James Suckling:
"Complex aromas of iron, iodine, raspberries, blue fruit, mussel shells, lemongrass and orange peel. Medium- to full-bodied with crunchy fruit and a lightly chewy finish. A barrel selection of the best wines of the vintage. A little tight now, but it opens in the glass. Drink or hold." (Feb 2025)

96+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"A blend of all 11 clones at the estate, the 2023 Pinot Noir The Estate is a jeweled ruby color and opens with bright notes of currants, crunchy, bright berries, brambly spices, clove, and fresh lavender. The palate is vibrant and tension-driven, with well-defined tannins, focused acidity, and a stony texture throughout the wine. Drink 2026-2046." – Audrey Frick (Jul 2025)

96 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2023 Pinot Noir The Estate has kaleidoscopic scents of wild cherry, pomegranate, dried flowers, conifer and spice that draw you back to the glass again and again. The palate offers power without weight, its vibrant acidity driving highly concentrated flavors. It’s framed by barely there, silky tannins and has a hauntingly long finish. Wow! 1,312 cases were made." – Erin Brooks (Aug 2025)

95 Points & #8 Top 100 Wines of 2025 - Wine Spectator:
"Offers beautifully rendered notes of hibiscus, rose petal, damson plum and mulberry that stretch out lengthily thanks to the fine-beaded acidity and taut, precise tannins. The sapid finish lets in tea and incense hints amid the glistening fruit. Best from 2026 through 2036. 1,300 cases made." – JM (Sep 2025)

95 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"The 2023 Estate Pinot Noir captures the full breadth of the vineyard’s clonal diversity, rooted in the Goldridge soils of the Sonoma Coast. With ten clones planted across 21 acres, it’s blended each year to represent the best expression of the site. The 2023 vintage opens with the most floral and bright profile in the lineup: fresh roses, fresh lavender layered with crunchy red berries and tart blackberries, a subtle aroma of forest floor, and savoury herbs like sage. Finely structured, it shows tension, thanks to the high natural acidity shaped by the vineyard’s coastal elevation. A compelling, site-driven wine from Fort Ross-Seaview. 1,200 cases produced." - Ana Carollina Quintela (Mar 2025)