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.
Allen Vineyard is on Westside road in the heart of the Russian River Valley.
Gold in color. 14.5% ABV. Brilliant nose of tropical fruits, lemon oil, vanilla and minerals. Medium to full bodied with bright acidity. Great viscosity and mouth feel. Pears, marzipan, honeysuckle and caramel apple on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and supple. I had lost track of this wine in the cellar and did not intend to age for a decade but it is showing so well right now. What a treat. Best over the next year or so.
My rating: 93 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 2018 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.