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. Other varieties bottled at Williams Selyem include Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Chenin Blanc.
Forchini Vineyard is located in the Russian River Valley and dates back to the early 1900’s.
Crimson in color. 14.9% ABV. Brambly black fruits, pepper and licorice on the nose. Rich and jammy with port like characteristics on the palate. Flavors of black cherries, blackberries, prunes and rhubarb. Medium length on the finish. Ready to drink. Somewhat disappointing given previous experience with Williams Selyem Zins from this era.
My rating: 89 points.
Williams Selyem is no longer making a Forchini Vineyard Zinfandel. Current offerings from Williams Selyem include Zins from Papera Vineyard and Bacigalupi Vineyard.
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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