Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard Pinot Noir
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard is located six miles southwest of the town of Healdsburg, banking the Russian River.
- The Old River Block was planted in 1989 with cuttings from the oldest vines on the property dating back to the 1960s. Often the berries are tiny and that translates into a wine with tremendous extract.
- Fog-cooled evenings and moderately warm daytime temperatures make the Russian River Valley region ideal for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Elaboration: Barrel aged 16 months, 70% new, 30% 1 yr-old barrels.
Tasting Notes: Layers of dark berry fruit and notes of cedar dominate the nose. Forest-like notes of sous bois and dried herbs add a depth that is compelling and utterly mind-boggling. Vibrant and fresh in the mouth, the extract is so perfectly balanced that the palate remains light on its feel while completely saturating the palate. Wow!
PRESS
2020 – 94 Wine Advocate
2019 – 97 Wine Advocate | 96 Wine Enthusiast | 95 Jeb Dunnuck | 95 James Suckling | 92 Wine Spectator
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.