Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Williams Selyem – Pinot Noir – 2023
Drake Estate Vineyard – Russian River Valley – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A beautifully refined and expressive Pinot Noir sourced from the renowned Drake Estate Vineyard, one of the crown jewels of the Russian River Valley. The 2023 vintage highlights Williams Selyem’s signature delicacy and precision: pure fruit, lifted aromatics, and a seamless texture that defines top-tier RRV Pinot.

Aromas & Flavors
Red cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry accented by rose petal, orange zest, and light baking spice. Subtle forest floor, tea leaf, and vanilla whisper in the background. Elegant, layered, and aromatically captivating.

Mouthfeel
Silky, smooth, and wonderfully balanced. Medium-bodied with bright natural acidity, fine tannins, and a graceful, mouthwatering finish. A perfect interplay of delicacy and depth.

Food Pairings
Duck breast, truffle risotto, cedar-plank salmon, roasted mushrooms, or creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert.

Verdict
A lovely masterpiece from Drake Estate Vineyard, delicate, smooth, and utterly delicious. This is quintessential Russian River Valley Pinot at its most graceful and refined. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Drake Estate Vineyard sits along the Russian River’s cooling corridor, where fog rolls in daily. This extended hang time allows for exceptional fruit purity and aromatic intensity, one reason it’s one of Williams Selyem’s most prized vineyard sources. — 7 months ago

Daniel Dver

9.3

So nice. With Daniels clan — 4 years ago

Madi Ham

9.6

Great DOC Italian Pinot Grigio. On the dry side, very nice!

Consumed with shrimp scampi with the Gordon clan — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Smoky Peaty and spirity aromas Also Iodine and Briny notes showing its maritime location. A single malt matured in charred oak casks. There is some conjecture as to whether Talisker is classified as Island or Islay but suffice to say it is the only Distillery on the Isle of Skye. Had a tour of Talisker many years ago after going to the HQ of the MacDonald Clan on Skye. I bought this 1 Litre bottle at Gatwick Airport about 2 months ago before we headed up to Inverness and the Highlands. — 7 years ago

Alex Collins

9.0

The official wine of the Barker/Hankinson clan! Enjoyed thoroughly during Mike+Megan's wedding in Vancouver in August 2018 — 8 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.0

Nariz: cereza, mora, ciruela, cassis, vainilla

Boca: Seco, Tanino M+, Acidez M, Alcohol M+.

(Clan del Vino) — 8 years ago

JKT

9.0

At Sunday clan get together 8/10/25. Thought was dry but not so, excellent classic Mosel profile but too sweet for the youngsters! — a year ago

Barry Shailes

9.9

Had this at Le Clan, Quebec City. — 4 years ago

J

9.0

Enjoyed this wine. It is light in color and very tasty. Could be served with almost any meal. — 5 years ago

Greg Stepina

9.5

Xmas dinner 2019 with holliday clan — 7 years ago

Josh Jessel

9.3

We had the koshu white and this red. Both were light and delicious! — 7 years ago

Иван Иванов

9.2

OK
Very nice — 8 years ago

Michael P. Rooney

9.3

Happy 50th Donna Coffey! Love, The Roo way Clan — 8 years ago

Mike Leach

9.0

Full bodied. Fruit sort of a tart berry with nice acid. Ctrus aftertaste. — 9 years ago

JKT

9.1

At Sunday clan get together 8/10/25. Want popular and brought home. A mountain stony acidic group that makes this a terrific white for a variety of food pairing. Too bad no more. — a year ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Smoky with brief notes from me. Not as peaty as you would expect from the western isles. Had a tour of this distillery some years ago on the Isle of Skye which is the spiritual home of the Clan Donald ie McDonald. Probably prefer the peaty styles of Lagavulin and Laphroig. — 4 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.5

I cannot believe how good this wine is. Was down in the cellar looking for a white. Saw this was a 2011 and figured we needed to drink this soon (if it wasn’t already past peak). Unbelievable. Easily mistaken for a top-end Aubert, this had incredible depth of flavor, complexity, and a finish that went on and on. Without question the best chardonnay I’ve had from the Pisoni clan, this was a fantastic surprise. — 6 years ago

with Vanessa

JKT

9.1

Finally hit the jackpot! Third and fourth bottles with clan 11/30/19 as gathering breaks off with half leaving. What a perfect match to real fois gras from Wilson. Everyone agrees and some found out belatedly a little goes a long way. Four more to go and also found another 75 Sauternes. Rated with leftover second bottle and yes each bottle different. Third bottle least oxidized and complex and in balance. — 7 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.6

Every time I open one of Paul Lato’s wines, I ask myself the same question: Why don’t I buy every bottle I get offered? This is amazing. I don’t know if this is sourced from the same vines that Gary, Mark, and Jeff use for their (incredible) Pisoni Estate pinot, but Paul’s expression of the fruit hits some of the same notes - but also some different ones - from what the Pisoni clan produces. Amazing notes of dried cherries, spice box, and a hint of earth, all folded into a seamless wine that just opens up on the palate with layers of evolving flavors, ending in a finish that lingers for nearly a minute. Awesome stuff. — 7 years ago

with Vanessa

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

it’s like Grand Cru Chablis except it’s Chenin. Smells like super great Dauvissat initially. Green Apple and tons of mineral. One of those wines that smells stuffed to the gills just by the nose, but you know it is holding out. Almost some green pea as well. No wax. No almonds. Clean nuts if that makes sense. This is new wavey Chenin like Guiberteau. Palate is just electric but is more Chenin than the nose with its feral fruit energy and vibe but also it has a Rieslingesque cleanliness to it. Dirty Chenin is one of my pet peeves. This is clan as a whistle. Like a cross between Guiberteau and Dauvissat. Dense, chewy, structured and deep. So clean and pure and length that does not quit. What poise and structure. But a lovely finesse and breed as well. This is sappy and dense as can be and one can crunch through the structure. Stunning purity and what a wonderful new expression of Chenin. Saumur is the place. — 8 years ago