2015 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2015 Pinot Noir Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard saw roughly one-quarter stems and spent 18 months in just 70% new French oak. 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. It lacks a touch of balance at the moment, but it certainly has all the right components and is loaded with potential. Give bottles 2-3 years, and it should drink nicely for a decade or more. I was able to taste a bevy of single vineyard Pinot Noirs (although I think it’s only scratching the surface with regards to their portfolio) from this iconic estate, all of which showed singular, incredibly high-quality characters. Be warned though, these are structured, tannic efforts that are going to benefit from short term cellaring. They’ll be very long lived!
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2015 Pinot Noir Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard is going to need a few years in the bottle to unwind. The purity of the fruit and aromatics is terrific, but the wine is also not ready to show all of its cards. 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.
Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2015 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard has a 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. 528 cases produced.
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.