2017 | Williams Selyem | Sonoma County Pinot Noir

Bright and lively, the nose shows off aromas of fresh strawberry and raspberry. Anise, fennel, and a touch of lavender belie the fresh fruit character. Flavors of cranberry and strawberry mix with citrus notes of bergamot, adding depth and intrigue. The palate is broad and refined with a finish of Earl Grey tea.

Producer Information

Williams Selyem is a Californian winery that has achieved cult status through small productions of high-quality, single-vineyard Pinot Noir. It began in the late 1970s, initially as a garage project by Ed Selyem and Burt Williams in Forestville, a community in Sonoma County. In 1981 the pair – who were neighbors – officially named their project Hacienda Del Rio and established it as a legal winery. Two years later, the release of their first commercial vintage (1981) coincided with a cease-and-desist order from Hacienda Winery, leading them to change their name to Williams Selyem. Williams Selyem found its success buying and bottling single-vineyard wines, with Pinot Noir as the focus. Single-vineyard wines were not new to California, but the first for Williams Selyem was its 1985 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir. Released in 1987, the Rochioli immediately received critical praise, winning the Sweepstakes Prize at the California State Fair for best red wine. In the same year, the demand for Williams Selyem's wines exceeded supply and a waiting list was created to fill orders. The 1990s saw the modest production double to a still-limited 8000 cases in 1998, with the wait-time to get on the mailing list averaging two years. This success in the early '90s saw Burt and Ed become full-time winemakers, and their 1991 Summa Vineyard Pinot Noir become the first California Pinot to retail for $100. In 1998, they sold the winery to John and Kathe Dyson, who established the first estate vineyards. Williams Selyem now has two estate vineyards in the Russian River Valley AVA, the Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard (formerly Litton Estate) and the Drake Estate Vineyard. A third vineyard, Vista Verde, is located in the San Benito AVA, inland from Monterey. While Pinot Noir dominates production, Williams Selyem also makes a small amount of Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and a Port-style fortified dessert wine. These offerings vary in production from year to year but many also carry single-vineyard designations.

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