Williams Selyem Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The Bucher Vineyard is located about 1½ miles north of the winemaking facility on Westside Road.
- The clones planted include 777, 115, 37, and Pommard 4, with an Arbuckle gravely loam soil.
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Elaboration: Barrel aged 16 months, 59% new, 41% 1 yr old barrels.
Tasting Notes: Beautifully balanced notes of raspberry fruit mix with the earthy quality that always typifies this unique site. A hint of evergreen allows for an airiness that highlights the wine and together helps capture the intrigue of the aromatics. in the mouth, the flavors of summer-ripened raspberries mix with black cherry, along with hints of allspice. The mid-palate is highlighted with an earthy flavor and transitions to a tannin structure that lingers wonderfully on the palate. The round tannin profile will allow for near-term enjoyment but can develop with additional cellar time as well.
PRESS
2019 – 95 James Suckling | 94 Wine Enthusiast
2021 – 97 James Suckling
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Willams Selyem Winery was founded almost by accident. In the 1970s, a grower gave a few tons of free grapes to Burt Williams. He and his friend, Ed Selyem, decided to make their own wine – a Pinot Noir.
The partners only wanted to make wine for themselves but, as fate would have it, they were very good at it. Soon, their wine developed a cult-like following among those they shared it with. Ultimately, their experiment elevated Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley to among the best wine-growing regions in the world.
Once Burt and Ed decided to start a serious winery, they vowed to make handcrafted wines that would set the standard for excellence. Burt, a veteran newspaper pressman, made the first labels using an old letterpress and hand-mixed inks. Today, the philosophy at Williams Selyem is to respect the grapes. Their wine has been served at the White House and their 2007 Estate Pinot Noir was the first to score a perfect 100 in a major wine publication.