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2015 Williams Selyem Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir

Removed from a subterranean, temperature and humidity controlled residential cellar

Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

96+ The Wine Advocate

...compelling, totally singular nose of crushed red and black cherries, rhubarb, strawberry compote and black raspberries with touches of dark chocolate, anise, black soil and dried Provence herbs plus a hint of rose hips. Medium-bodied, it has a very fine-grained, firm texture and oodles of freshness, packed with red and black berry flavors and finishing multilayered.

94Vinous / IWC

...mid-weight structure... The purity of the fruit and aromatics is terrific... Rose petal, lavender, mint and red/purplish fruit are beautifully layered in this super-appealing, polished Pinot from Williams Selyem. There is so much to like.

94+ Jeb Dunnuck

Its bouquet of pomegranate, black cherries, crushed rock, and underbrush is followed by a tight, inward, fresh Pinot Noir that has good acidity, building structure, and solid length...has all the right components...

93Burghound.com

...more spice and noticeably better depth. There is good punch and detail to the attractively textured medium-bodied flavors that possess solid depth...

92Wine Enthusiast

...has a refrained, balanced approach to ripeness, showing focused black cherry, black tea and baked rhubarb tones. The moderate structure allows for a soft, layered texture...

PRODUCER

Williams Selyem

Williams Selyem was founded in 1981 when Ed Selyem and Burt Williams, friends who shared winemaking as a hobby, decided to make a commercial vintage. The men were neighbors in the Russian River Valley with full time jobs that were unrelated to winemaking. Nevertheless they purchased grapes and made Zinfandel, then single-vineyard Pinot Noir. Williams Selyem Pinots quickly earned a cult following. In 1998 the founders sold the winery to John and Kathe Dyson, former customers with backgrounds in wine production and business. The winemaker is John Cabral. Though the estate is best known for Pinot Noir, it also makes Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Says Robert M. Parker Jr: “The overall style of Williams Selyem Pinots remains one of elegant, high-acid wines that can age….”

REGION

United States, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley

Russian River Valley AVA is named for the river that meanders from Mendocino County in the north until it finally runs into the Pacific Ocean north of San Francisco. The AVA is cool thanks to its proximity to the northern California coast and the river, and grape growers must learn to deal with regular fog. Nevertheless in recent decades the AVA has become one of the best in the state, meaning that its wines often earn excellent reviews and have considerable cachet. The AVA status was awarded in 1983 and today the appellation has 15,000 vineyard acres. Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape though Pinot Noir has also been very successful in recent decades. Russian River Valley Pinot Noir are known for being rich, lush and filled with concentrated fruit and berry flavors. Russian River Pinot Noirs are today considered some of the best domestic Pinot Noirs.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.