Bottle Notes, Pinot Noir

2008 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – Bottle Notes

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.

Light red in color. Almost translucent. 14% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, cloves and baking spices. Light to medium body with exquisite acidity. Lithe and delicate with the fruit starting to fade ever so slightly on the palate. Flavors of bing cherries, cranberries, earth and pine needles. Medium length on the finish. I’m not sure Williams Selyem intends for their appellation wines to be aged for 10 years but this wine has stood the test of time. Best over the next year or so.

My rating: 91 points.

Williams Selyem can periodically be found at retail, but the mailing list is highly recommended.

I wrote about Williams Selyem previously in Reflections on Two Days in Russian River Valley and The 2017 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.

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