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.
Light ruby red in color. A touch cloudy. 14.2% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, cloves, cola and forest floor. Medium body with strong acidity. The wine appears advanced in age but the flavors are fresh and vibrant. Cherries, cranberries, earth and minerals on the palate. Nice length on the finish. Showing better than recent notes I have seen on this wine would seem to indicate. Best 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 2018 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.