Saturday, April 29th, 2023
 "I referenced La Tâche more than once in these reviews, and I don’t make that comparison lightly. These are brilliant wines." -Jeb Dunnuck
Dear friends,

This Smart Saturday highlights our small 12-bottle allocation of the amazing Wayfarer Vineyard's latest release, along with 8 more American Pinots we strongly recommended.

You might already have all the legends in your cellar:

DuMOL, Sea Smoke, Rhys, ROAR, Pisoni, Kosta Browne, Selyem, Littorai, Aubert, Marcassin, Littorai, Occidental, Paul Lato, Rochioli... am I forgetting someone?

Point is, I know you've 'been there, done that', and don't 'need' anymore Pinot.

But if you haven't tried Wayfarer yet, you owe it to yourself to complete your quest.
Wayfarer Pinot Noir "Wayfarer Vineyard" 2019
(Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast)

It doesn't make sense that Jayson Pahlmeyer's current passion project is seemingly under-the-radar. But let's not question it—if we do, they'll become expensive, allocated, and unavailable.

  • In the 70s Wayfarer off-the-grid organic farm supplied Alice Waters' Chez Panisse

  • The farm was up for sale in '98. Helen Turley quickly took notice and told her good friend Jayson Pahlmeyer to buy it. Her own vineyard, Marcassin, was next door. (Cult wine between $300-800, if you can even get any)

  • In '02, David Abreu would plant Pinot and Chard in what is still the only Sonoma vineyard he's ever done. (He's usually planting vineyards for Screaming Eagle, Harlan, stuff like that)

  • In 2005 Jayson Pahlmeyer would blend Wayfarer with RRV fruit to bottle Pahlmeyer Pinots. They were pretty massive during that time. The Pahlmeyer name/winery then sold in '19.

  • From 2012 to 2018. bad-ass winemaker Bibiana Gonzales Rave-Pisoni (yes, she married a Pisoni) would refine them into the gorgeous Wayfarer wines they are today.

97 Points - The Wine Independent:
"The 2019 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is a blend of all the blocks with 11 different clones, and the result of a barrel selection. Medium ruby-purple in color, it gallops out with notes of pomegranate, redcurrant jelly, and Bing cherries, plus wafts of violets, star anise, and menthol with a hint of Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firm and taut, with a solid backbone of grainy tannins and lovely acidity backing up the muscular fruit, finishing long and with wonderful purity."

95 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Outstanding in muscular, dark fruit tones, this wine offers a substantial length and breadth of complexity. Weighty, it expands on the palate to reveal firm tannins and powerful lushness. The grapes were grown at a 1,100-foot elevation in cool, coastal conditions." - VB (11/1/2022)

95 Points - Robert Parker's WA:
"The 2019 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard comes from all 11 clones grown on the Wayfarer property. Medium ruby-purple in color, it has broody aromas of blood orange, iron, rhubarb and cranberry sauce with notes of dusty earth and dried herbs. The palate manages incredible intensity, lift and expansive flavor layers with a very long, juicy finish that continually calls you in for another sip!" (Jun 2021)

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2019 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is one of the more approachable Pinots in the lineup, yet smart money will still give bottles a handful of years in the cellar. Spiced cherries, mulberries, spicy oak, violets, and orange blossom all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with a round, expansive texture, more velvety tannins, and a great finish." (7/21)
Our Regular Price: $99.97 btl
Today, Saturday Only: $89.97 btl

Only 12 bottles are available
Add to your cart to get today's price
8x American Pinot Noir New Arrivals & Last Calls
Click their images to read on

We just received our long-awaited Master Sommelier's Secret: a coveted Oregon Pinot Noir, from the towering 2018 vintage, with a negotiated price that's just plain stupid.

This wine is wildly complex and unique as Andrew Rich specifically showcased Marine sedimentary soils with these 555 cases made: Willakenzie, Bellepine, Dupee.

On top of that, he throws down in the lab. 25% new French oak. Native yeast fermentation. 22% whole cluster. Drink now through 2033.
Previous Vintage Pedigree:
2015 Vintage: 93 Points, #75, Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017
2017 Vintage: 93 Points, #19, Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2020
2021 Vintage: 94 Points... ? Could it be in the Top 10 of 2023?

  • Lowest Price in California. Only 46 bottles left!

97 Points - James Suckling:
"...Vibrant and juicy...Layered and balanced, with a long, savory finish..."

97 Points - Robert Parker's WA:
"...so expressive this vintage! ...has a pure fragrance of blueberries and lilac, aniseed and earth... glide seamlessly through the mouth for an incredibly persistent, floral finish."

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A dynamic wine, impeccably structured and fleshy in texture..."

Our 24-bottle allocation of 2021 Occidental Freestone Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is in the house—but will be gone shortly if you don't move fast! This price is absurdly low for Cult-caliber. Not yet rated, but it's expected to score higher than the WS 95 previous 2020 vintage.

Occidental is the passion project of Steve Kistler and his family. While Steve remains CEO of Kistler Vineyards, his desire to focus solely on Pinot Noir was the impetus behind creating Occidental. It shows. All Occidental vineyards are grafted with proprietary massale selections developed over three decades by Steve. Produced entirely from estate-fruit from Occidental's coastal vineyards. The vineyards are Certified Sustainable. 

You can't stop smelling this wine. At 13.3% ABV, you also can't stop your mouth from watering and drinking the bottle. We won't get more this year.

Served at 3-Michelin Star Eleven Madison Park!

RAEN is run by American wine royalty: Carlo and Dante Mondavi, grandsons of Napa legend Robert Mondavi and sons of Continuum’s Tim Mondavi. With the same expertise and unrelenting passion that drove Robert to develop the world-famous Opus One and Tim to craft 100-point reds, Dante and Carlo are dedicated to Pinots of elegant, Burgundian finesse from the wild Sonoma coast.  

This year, this glorious 'cuvee' is made of 60% Pisoni Vineyard, 23% Garys’ Vineyard, and 17% Soberanes Vineyard. Yes, it is mostly the fruit of the legendary Pisoni Estate, a wine we SOMETIMES get allocated a couple of BOTTLES only and retails for $150+. 13 bottles left!

Wine Enthusiast not only ranked this unfathomable value in their Top 100 Best Buys of 2022, but also as Most Consistent-Quality Pinot Noir in their recent article "The 6 Best Pinot Noir Bottles Under $30." This is just business as usual for the brand with more than a decade of consistently scoring above 90 points from major wine publications. Only 33 bottles left!
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