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.
Bacigalupi Vineyard is situated on Westside Road, a few miles south of the town of Healdsburg. The Zinfandel vines date back to the 1950’s.
Dark crimson in color. 14.9% ABV. Stunning nose of red fruits, peach, blood orange and anise. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Exceptionally lush and rich. Strawberry, raspberry liqueur, earth and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. For my money the Zinfandel lineup at Williams Selyem deserves as much praise as the acclaimed Pinot Noir lineup and this wine is no exception. Best over the next several years.
My rating: 95 points.
Williams Selyem can periodically be found at retail, but the mailing list is highly recommended. The 2020 version of this wine should be released this Summer although I am uncertain of the fires in 2020 and their impact on the Williams Selyem portfolio. If you are a member of the Williams Selyem mailing list you would be well advised to buy any Zinfandel they offer on their next mailer in 2022 including the Bacigalupi.
I wrote about Williams Selyem previously in Reflections on Two Days in Russian River Valley and The 2020 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.