Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The Pinot Noir for this blend was sourced from the following vineyards: Laguna, Martaella, Bucher, Olivet Lane, Lolita, and the Hallberg Vineyard.
- Sourced from diverse sites throughout the AVA, the wine represents the best of the Middle Reach, Green Valley, Santa Rosa Plain, and the Laguna Ridge area. Each site has its unique signature and together they offer a complete picture of the beauty of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Elaboration: Barrel aged 14 months, 41% new, 59% 1 yr-old barrels.
Tasting Notes: A quintessential Russian River Valley character of red fruits, lavender, and citrus jump from the glass. Sourced from diverse sites throughout the AVA, the wine represents the best of the Middle Reach, Green Valley, Santa Rosa Plain, and the Laguna Ridge area. Each site has its unique signature and together they offer a complete picture of the beauty of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. On the palate, the wine showcases the grace and power of perfectly ripened tannins with juicy acidity and an alluring finish of black tea and bergamot. There is broad appeal with this wine and it has a wide window of drinkability.
PRESS
2021 – 95 Wine Advocate | 94 James Suckling | 93 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.