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.
Knowing the Summer mailer for Williams Selyem will land next week I decided to check in on a bottle I had been saving for the right occasion.
Peay Vineyard is situated near the San Andreas Fault at the Northern edge of the Sonoma Coast AVA.
Light crimson in color. Almost translucent. 14.1% ABV. Enticing nose of cherries, pomegranate, cloves and damp forest floor. Light to medium body with perfect acidity. Lithe and ethereal. Cranberry, strawberry and salmonberry on the palate. The finish is long and spicy with subtle tannins. Special Pinot Noir. Drink over the next 1-2 years.
My rating: 93 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 2015 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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