Williams Selyem Winery began when Ed Selyem and Burt Williams started making wine as a hobby in 1979 in Forestville, California. Their first commercial release was in 1981, and in less than two decades they created a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Setting a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking, they put Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley at the forefront of the best Pinot Noir regions in the world.
Today, John and Kathe Dyson, who purchased the winery from Burt and Ed in 1998, work with winemaker Jeff Mangahas to carry on the passion for Pinot Noir without compromise.
Bacigalupi Vineyard is located on Westside Road a few miles south of Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley. The vines date back to the 1950’s.
Dark red in color. 15.1% ABV. Briar, black fruits and white pepper on the nose. Plush and jammy with good acidity. Blackberries, raspberries and cherry cordials on the palate. Modest tannins on an extended finish. Great showing for a 9 year old Zinfandel. Drink now as I don’t think this wine can get any better.
My rating: 94 points.
Williams Selyem can periodically be found at retail, but the mailing list is highly recommended.
I wrote about Williams Selyem recently in Reflections on Two Days in Russian River Valley and The Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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