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.
The Pinot Noir for this blend was sourced from the Williams Selyem Estate, MacGregor Estate and Drake Estate Vineyards.
Light crimson in color. 13.9% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, baking spices and forest floor. Medium body with perfect acidity. Light, charming and elegant. This Pinot Noir is soft and supple with tons of finesse. Black cherry, black raspberry, cola and earth on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. The Sonoma County has really grown into it’s $39 price point and can now be considered a great wine and great value. Hard to go wrong here. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 92 points.
Williams Selyem can periodically be found at retail, but the mailing list is highly recommended. The 2020 version of this wine will be released this Spring.
I wrote about Williams Selyem previously in Reflections on Two Days in Russian River Valley and The 2020 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.