2016 Precious Mountain Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
From a dry-farmed coastal site, this is a grippy, concentrated wine full of powerful tannins. Dried herb, tea, blood orange and pomegranate combine for a force of flavor as the wine broods and develops. — Virginie Boone
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Pinot Noir Precious Mountain Vineyard is another of the more reticent wines in this range from Williams Selyem. Intensely mineral and savory notes are at the forefront, while the fruit is pushed into the background. Chalk, white pepper, citrus peel and smoke add character to the earth tones. Perhaps the 2016 will blossom a bit more in bottle, but today it is austere and unyielding, especially within the context of the other 2016s here.
This site on the Sonoma Coast has produced a savory 2016 Pinot Noir Precious Mountain Vineyard and it offers loads of mulled red and black fruits, leather, and dried flower aromas and flavors. It's rounded, nicely textured, has a singular character, and a great finish. A decade or more of longevity isn’t out of the question.
About the producer
Williams Selyem is an iconic Russian River Valley winery best known for its Pinot Noir. Producing restrained yet classically Californian expressions of the heartbreak grape (as well as a host of other wines), the property has gone from pioneer to one of the region’s standard-bearers.