Wayfarer Vineyard The Estate Fort Ross-Seaview Chardonnay 2022
(Sonoma Coast, California) - [DM 96] [WA 94] [WS 94] [VM 90]

Tasting Notes:
The 2022 Chardonnay ‘The Estate’ is an enticing pale gold in the glass. An exuberant nose evokes white peach, nectarine, Meyer lemon curd, quince and Anjou pear accented with essences of honeysuckle, toasted hazelnut and wet river stone. Fresh and nervy, the wine displays a thrilling tension between lithe fruit expression and vibrant acidity, beautifully balanced by a touch of richness from barrel fermentation in partial new oak. The wine finishes with a lush fruit note that tempers into a lingering minerality.

Winemaking Notes:
Each block was picked by hand in the cool pre-dawn hours, and the fruit delivered to the winery before sunrise.  We hand-sorted the clusters before transferring them into a bladder press. After gentle pressing, the juice settled for 24 hours before we carefully racked it into 228L French oak barrels, 52% new. Native yeast slowly guided alcoholic fermentation in barrel, with measured batonnage until malolactic fermentation was complete. The wine aged sur lie for 15 months and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Vintage Notes:
Wayfarer's 2022 vintage was the product of 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 during harvest, 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 both the luxurious texture and fruit-driven character of a warm harvest as well as the elegance and vibrancy indicative of a cool growing season.

Technical Data:

Blocks: 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 17, 26b, 28, 29, 30
Clones: Berlenbach Old Wente, Hyde, Mount Eden
Winemaker: Todd Kohn
Origin: Wayfarer Vineyard, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma County
Pruning: Double guyot
Vine Yield: 1.8 pounds per vine
Harvested: September 2-16, 2022
Bottled: December 6, 2023
Release: Spring 2024
Alcohol: 14.3%
pH: 3.23
TA: 7.4 g/L
Cases Produced: 753

96 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"his is so intense and wild with Meyer lemon, Korean pear, green lemon, and lime. Piercing pineapple and focused acidity that gives incredible length and intensity. The density and texture with solid phenolics and so much flavor and vivid energy is really impressive along with the electric finish. Full body. Agile palate. Wente and Mount Eden clone. Drinkable but hold on to it!" - Clive Pursehouse (Mar 2024)

94 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Chardonnay The Estate has a pretty perfume of grilled peaches, flaky pastry, clover honey, toast and matchstick. The palate balances concentrated, savory flavors with bright acidity, and it has a long, honey-nut finish." - Erin Brooks (Mar 2024)

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Offers an energetic mix of pomelo, lemon sherbet, pear and Honeycrisp apple flavors on a sleek, juicy frame. Pineapple, lime zest and orange blossom details add complexity and verve, with a touch of Himalayan sea salt on the finish. Drink now. 1,100 cases made." - MaryAnn Worobiec (Jul 2024)

90 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2022 Chardonnay The Estate is a very pretty, soft wine. Lemon confit, marzipan and white flowers caress the palate. Mt. Eden, Berlenbach Wente and Dijon 95 clones yield an airy, open-knit Chardonnay in this vintage. The 2022 is a delight. (Drink between 2024-2028)" - Antonio Galloni