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, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc.
Located in Occidental near the Bodega Coast, this vineyard is nestled in the cool coastal climate that is ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and as such Williams Selyem Winery has been using Coastlands grapes since 1994.
Ruby red in color. 14.2% ABV. Ethereal nose of red fruits, cloves, soil and flowers. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Surprising concentration and power. Cranberry, pomegranate, black cherry and earth on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and silky. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a 16 year old bottle of Williams Selyem but the power and finesse here took me aback. What a triumph. Aging brilliantly. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 96 points.
Williams Selyem can periodically be found at retail, but the mailing list is highly recommended. The 2020 version of this wine was released a few weeks ago.
I wrote about Williams Selyem previously in Reflections on Two Days in Russian River Valley and The 2020 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
Amazing discipline to hold onto a Pinot that long – it was apparently worth the wait!