The September installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 2005 California “cult” Pinot Noir (see the July installment for background on this series). I plan on opening the winning bottle on September 29th, and publishing an in depth bottle note on October 1st. The contenders for this month are Rochioli West Block and Williams Selyem Flax Vineyard, both from the Russian River Valley, and Kosta Browne…
As I look at the multitude of wines listed in the most recent Williams-Selyem mailer, I find myself wondering if there’s a point where a winery offers too many wines?
Every wine consumer seems to have a “line in the sand” price for certain varietals. For Napa Cabernet, many draw the line at $100. Top flight Pinot Noir and Syrah from California draw wide support up to the $50 price point. For Zinfandel the threshold seems much lower. That point for Zinfandel seems to be right around $40. Why is…
Williams Selyem Pinot Noir gets so much critical acclaim that I often feel their world class Zinfandel and Chardonnay lineups get overlooked. Forchini Vineyard is located just south of Healdsburg in Russian River Valley. The 100 year old vines produce a miniscule amount of fruit each year.