Wayfarer Golden Mean Pinot Noir 2012

Professional Ratings

• 96 Wine Enthusiast

  Crafted from estate-grown fruit—a marriage of Pommard and Swan clones—Golden Mean comes from three distinct vineyard blocks, the Pommard fermented whole-cluster. It opens with dark, ripe layers of lush cherry-vanilla, the wine concentrated and rich in oak yet balanced in acidity. On the finish is a mix of leather, licorice and wild herb. Tuck it away through 2020–2022. 

  Cellar Selection

• 95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The Golden Mean is made exclusively from Pommard and Swan clones. Medium ruby colored, the 2012 Pinot Noir Golden Mean has a savory nose of charcuterie and Marmite toast with a core of dried cranberries, potpourri, spice box and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a beautiful earthy/savory character with lovely, fine-grained tannins and a good long finish.
• 95 Jeb Dunnuck

  Brought up in barrels with slightly higher toast levels, the 250-case 2012 Pinot Noir Golden Mean offers a ripe, hedonistic style in its blackberry, melted licorice, roasted herb and forest floor bouquet. Ripe, opulent and layered on the palate, with tons of mid-palate depth and a broad, expansive texture, it’s not for those craving cooler-climate, green, tart aromas and flavors. This sexy beast has the concentration and balance to keep for another 10-15 years.

• 92 Wine Spectator
  Fresh, pure, vivid aromas of ripe plum, raspberry and blackberry give this a complex flavor profile, framed by acidity and tannins. Gains length, finesse and grace on a long finish, punctuated by grainy tannins. Drink now through 2022.