Williams Selyem has been one of the most consistent Pinot Noir producers in California since the 1980s, and I unabashedly love their wines. What better way to celebrate the winery with a consolidated tasting notes thread of its own? I’ll kick it off.
My wife and I together with our two closest friends visited the winery a couple of months ago and were able to taste through a long line up of wines, including a bonus taste of the Beckstoffer III cab which was delicious. Highlight of the tasting line up was the 2019 Drake pinot noir (not pictured below), a big, bold and luscious wine, yet showing some spicy notes of forest on the palette and nose. Grown on estate property near the town of Guerneville, CA close to the Russian River, this wine benefits from the cooling winds and fog from the Pacific, with no sign of heat. According to the WS website, the Drake vineyard was planted with several clones, primarily their “house” blend of Pommard, but may include up to 20 distinct clones in a given vintage. Supposedly the Drake bottling is a winery tasting exclusive and I bought two bottles seeing how they might age.
I am going to enjoy this thread. None tonight, but both Drake 2018 and Coastlands 2017 within the last week and they were phenomenal . . . Thanks for starting this Bryan.
I have been drinking through my 2014’s this year - most recently the McGregor and Coastlands bottlings and I have to say this vintage has been one of my least favorite that I can recall. Don’t know exactly why
The Coastlands is probably is one of my favorite WS SVDs (though I am still working my way through them). Dark-fruited (black cherry, blackberry, maybe some blueberry) and very high acidity which suits my tastes – just beautiful, deep and balanced when given some air (it needed more than the other 2017s I have tried recently). It has an absolutely killer long finish with a streak of minerality and a stronger tannic spine than some of the other WS cuvees. All things that I like. The Drake was fantastic too as pretty much all the WS wines are, though it was a little rounder (only when compared to the Coastlands as it has plenty of acidity) and it was more a mix of red and black berries with some of the region’s well-known bergamot notes on the finish. Drake had a wonderful floral bouquet that was especially pleasing and it drank “easily”, but finished shorter than Coastlands.
There’s something about the Drake I enjoy more than the other chards. The Olivet is a bit too opulent (rich? sweet?) although I do like the Allen. It might be the tropical fruits I like although that’s a tasting note that would turn off most chardophiles. Risotto seems like a perfect pairing with most of the WS chardonnays. We had the 2017 Olivet chardonnay with shrimp risotto at the Charlie Palmer restaurtant in Healdsburg a couple of years back and that was a perfect pairing as well.
This one’s from a few months back, but it was one of the best wine’s I’ve had in recent memory. 2014 Bacigalupi Vineyard Zinfandel. 100% a wine that makes you come back for more.
Drinking the 2018 Calegari Pinot tonight and its fantastic. I would say it is kind of “dead center” relative to the various terroir differences among the WS Pinot SVDs. Elegant with a perfumed bouquet. Lots of black cherry that’s balanced by lingering bergamot notes through a long finish.
Finally got a Bacigalupi allocation with the 2019 vintage, though a bit surprised not to get an allocation of several SVDs I have received in the past. Looking forward to trying it with some cellar age.
Agreed Ravi! I’ve probably had 20 of their Unoaked Chards and love the style. They strike a balance between lean and fruity. I do prefer to drink them within 2-3 years of bottling. Are you drinking them right away or letting them age?
I would like to try one aged, but I seem to drink through them too quickly for that to happen They are so refreshing during the warm summer months and though I am intrigued to see what would happen with some age, I think they are simply delicious if you give them a little time to get into the recommended WS drinking window (agree 100% Ben).
Had one of my last few of Burt Williams’ 1995 WIlliams Selyem Rochioli Vineyard the other night, opened for my our 39th anniversary. Delicious and still going strong.
2009 Flax Pinot Noir. We guessed 2014-2016…very vibrant, viscous in a good way, kinda toward strawberry on the red fruit scale. My 21 year old son doesn’t like much in the world of wine, but this wine caught his fancy. It made for a nice conversation about ‘cool’ vs. ‘hot’ mouth feel with regard to alcohol content. He thought this wine had great ‘coolness.’ A very well balanced wine. He thought it smelled like a bowl of Bing cherries before being handled. Perfect description.
Last night, 1997 WS Rochioli River Block to celebrate a new job for our nephew who was born that year. If it weren’t a special occasion, this would still be in the cellar, it will live a long time. Secondary flavors abound. It’s also my 23 year old’s birth year and it was a great mouthful. Complex fruit, no oxidative flavors, looooong as heck finish. Shared within a party of eight, I wanted it all. I want more.
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They are so refreshing during the warm summer months and though I am intrigued to see what would happen with some age, I think they are simply delicious if you give them a little time to get into the recommended WS drinking window (agree 100% Ben).