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.
Ruby red in color. 13.8% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, cloves and nutmeg. Light body with medium acidity. Fresh and elegant. Bing cherries, cranberries, blood orange and minerals on the palate. The finish is long and spicy. This bottle got away from me as I tend to drink the appellation wines 5-7 years from vintage. The being said this showed really well. Drink over the next 1-2 years.
My rating: 91 points.
Williams Selyem can periodically be found at retail, but the mailing list is highly recommended.
I wrote about Williams Selyem previously in Reflections on Two Days in Russian River Valley and The 2017 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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