2008 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Flax Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Slightly darker ruby in color, the 2008 Pinot Noir Flax Vineyard exhibits sweet cherry cola and loamy soil notes. This straightforward but enjoyable, medium-bodied wine has good roundness, fruit and spice. It is not complex, but it is well-made and should drink nicely for another 4-5 years. With thirteen separate Pinot Noirs, Williams-Selyem has something for just about everybody. Eight of these Pinot Noirs hail from relatively well-known sites in the Russian River and three come from the Sonoma Coast, while the two outliers are the Weir Vineyard from Yorkville Highlands and the Ferrington Vineyard from the Anderson Valley. Three well-regarded vineyards of the Sonoma Coast comprise part of this impressive Pinot Noir portfolio from Williams-Selyem. With eight Russian River bottlings, the two with the largest availability are the Eastside Road Neighbors and Westside Road Neighbors, which are blends from different fruit sources. The most underrated wines in the entire portfolio are the Zinfandels that come from winemaker Bob Cabrol. Tel. (707) 433-6425; Fax (707) 433-6546
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(100% Pommard clone, according to Cabral) Riper, more serious aromas of dark fruits, smoke and licorice, with suggestions of mocha and tobacco. Fatter, sweeter and lower-toned than the foregoing samples, with a building minerality giving lift and shape to the mid-palate. This has more stuffing to support its more obvious tannins, and its lingering finish features solid thrust and blackberry and bitter cherry notes. Altogether more brooding than the other 2008 pinots here and missing the other wines' vibrancy
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.