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.
John Bucher has been growing Pinot Noir for Williams Selyem since 1999. His vineyard is broken into three distinct areas: L Block, House Block and the Raspberry Block.
Crimson in color. 13.8% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, cloves, baking spices and flowers. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Black cherry, cranberry, stewed tomatoes and earth on the palate. The finish is long and supple. Beautiful Russian River Valley Pinot Noir that could not be showing better. This is ready to go. Best over the next 1-2 years.
My rating: 94 points.
Williams Selyem can periodically be found at retail, but the mailing list is highly recommended. The 2023 version of this wine was just released and should not be missed.