2013 Pahlmeyer Wayfarer Vineyard Pinot Noir The Traveler
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Tasting notes
Medium ruby colored, the 2013 Pinot Noir The Traveler (made from the “suitcase clone”) has an earthy nose of fungi, underbrush, fertile soil and moss with a core of black cherries and cloves, plus wafts of violets and pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate has a great tannic backbone with plenty of freshness cutting through the intense earth and fruit layers, finishing on a wonderful textural note.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Possessing the acidity and concentration that’s the hallmark of the vintage, the 120-case 2013 Pinot Noir The Traveler offers a surprising elegance and purity to go with notes of strawberries, spices, underbrush and flowers. Silky, polished and elegant on the palate, with fine tannin and no weight, it's an ethereal Pinot Noir to drink over the coming decade.
The 2013 Pinot Noir The Traveler is a suitcase clone, probably from one of the DRC vineyards, as they all seem to emerge from that UNESCO vineyard in Burgundy. It does exhibit earthy, forest floor notes, spice box, raspberry and cherry notes, medium body and plenty of floral notes. This is a beauty to drink over the next 7-8 years.
With a more brawny, while still deft, presence than the Golden Mean, the Traveller Pinot shows a well-executed focus on the rocky, structural side of the AVA. Giving notes of red cherry – both bloom and fruit – and savoury, rocky-earth mineral accents throughout, this wine carries energetic acidity, and a lot of depth. The tannin is nicely done here – giving pleasing texture and persistence without even a hint of aggressiveness. Give this wine plenty of time both in bottle and then when open. It’s worth the wait. (ECB)