Pinotman /// Andreas

9.3

Learned helplessness. Man 12%. And 20$ or so. I just can’t help it - this is the best Rosé ever. Unfiltered. This was really shaken not stirred when I traveled about town before it was popped. Tart, rhubarb gal-lore!!! Lemon. Typically I hate Rosé’s which often taste like nothing / this ain’t it. — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

My first 2016 BP Estate. Powerful red fruits with a whole bunch stalky element. A typical BP Estate with that stewed fruit rhubarb type character Similar to many other BP Estate Pinots I’ve had on Delectable from other vintages. — 4 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

I brought this, my last one of these. Opened and decanted 5 hours before serving. Bright tawny and almost opaque. Awesome nose. Seems young. Notes of bing cherry, asian spice, sandalwood, some dark earth and some rhubarb. Rich and silky in the mouth. Velvet glove delivery. Awesome wine. My red WOTN. — 4 years ago

John Willison

9.2

Raspberry, cranberry, rhubarb, eucalyptus, minerals. — 5 years ago

Tobin Spratte

9.4

Notes of hibiscus, strawberry, rhubarb, and pomegranate. Slight mineral background. — 7 years ago

William Hughes

9.3

This wine is hitting a peak. A confectionary note over cool rhubarb, dried flowers, and red currants. Lenny of acidity and a dusting of tannins commingle with more fresh red fruit and a dash of sweet spice in my mouth. Just delicious! — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I’ve had a a fair amount of older Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs, this one is the most different. It seems more extracted and darker than the bright; cherries, strawberries & pomegranate Pinots from them that we’ve had a run on over several years.

The noses reveals, deep, dark, ripe; currants, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries with hints of blue fruit. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity, sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and just a hint of violets.

The body is medium full. It has gorgeous mouthfeel. There are still round, softened, teethe & tarry tannins here. Tannins were in the bottle neck which, is not always traditional even in older Pinot’s. The structure, tension, length and balance are really nice with another three to five years of good drinking ahead. It’s right around its peak. Perhaps, just the other side of the bell curve. Dark, ripe; currants/cassis, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries, cooked rhubarb, raisins with more blue fruit showing vs. the nose. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, light nutmeg, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and violets beaming on the finish. The acidity is excellent. The long finish is; ruby, ripe, elegant, gorgeous, extremely well balanced and persists on the palate with warm, dark spice.

IMHO, Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs do not score well early and really shine at 10 years plus in many vintages. They are a Sonoma Pinot pioneer and a gold standard comparison for other producers and Pinot lovers to take note.

Photos of; Williams Selyem winery, Sofia’s great handy work with flowers and one of our two raised garden boxes. 💐 🌸 🌺 🌹🌼🥀 🌽 🥒🥬 🍅

Happy Memorial Day weekend all! Hope you are grilling & enjoying some of your favorite wines. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A stop for Sofia & I in 2015.

Tempranillo with this age is so soft, elegant and even a tad sweet for such a rustic varietal. This bottle has been well stored acquired from a distributor. Very little soft, mushy sediment and no bottle neck burn. Perfect fill line.

It glides onto the palate. Ripe; sweet to tart/sour cherries, rhubarb, brambly blackberries/black raspberries, baked plums & strawberries with some me hovering raspberries/blueberries. Dry-tobacco-stems-leather-top soil-crushed rocks-understated herbs-sage/bay leaf, haunting spices, incense, balsamic, sweet, mid tarriness, dry tomatoes w/ leaf, dry; dark red flowers-roses, rainfall acidity, well balanced, soft structure/tension and elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and falls on dry earthiness & flowers.

This picked up weight as it decanted & with the Bavette Steak w/ Chimichurri Sauce. — 5 months ago

Collier S. Wiese

9.2

Quintessential to the history of South Dakota was homemade rhubarb wine! This is a great representation of what tartness can do to balance the sweetness inherent in some of the non-grape wines. Like the tart cherry wines of Michigan, this is iconic of South Dakota. Love it! — 4 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.2

Full of life
Intense and vibrant
Quite complex
From plum to rasperry
Rhubarb to dates
Cinnamon to chestnut
Incense to licorice and quite irony
Perhaps just a touch warm at the end but hopefully it might adjust with time
Long and truly enjoyable — 5 years ago

Manchester Sheldon

9.2

Vibrant with rhubarb on the front, followed by blueberry, with a finish of strawberry and rose petals. — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.3

Dark tawny. Almost opaque. Tart fruit nose. Notes of tart cherries, tart rhubarb, tart oak bark, tart spice and a little tart mocha and tart menthol. Rich fruit in the mouth. A bit hot. Still primary. Needs more time in the bottle, or lots of time in the decanter to open up. — 7 years ago

William Feinstein

9.4

Smoked meats, rhubarb and a little funk on the prominent nose. Jammy purple fruits are balanced against an integrated tannic backbone with a spicy, peppery finish. Some may think it overripe but it is a great Zin in my book. — 7 years ago

with Maryalice

Roberto Carli

9.4

Might be declassified, but it drinks like a tight single vineyard. Very concentrated, fleshy red fruit, not quite raspberry, maybe rhubarb. Any oak influence is not noticeable, if anything contributes to the woodsy quality that keeps the tightly a fruit serious rather than frivolous. The pallet is driven by broad acidity, with tannins spreading to the cheeks that keep things lingering and give way to the spicy finish — 2 years ago

Alan Hense

9.2

Crisp rosé with notes of sour cherry, forest floor, rhubarb and raspberry. Lovely. — 4 years ago

Michael Greene

9.3

Cranberry, rhubarb, forest floor. Aging well — 4 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Maybe even more fun than last vintage…dark, rich Ruby color.. intense aroma of dark, tart Michigan cherry, sour rhubarb, watermelon, and juicy strawberries… beautiful balance of lively acidity and pure fruit fun. Sweet summer quaffer…near Rose perfection, but not for the timid…serious power! — 5 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.3

Such an awesome wine. Loads of yeast, strawberries, spices, and rhubarb. — 6 years ago

with Krystal

Mark Flesher

9.2

Playing a little catch-up.... Tasted alongside a 2016 Amizetta cabernet franc. In comparison, this is definitely the thoroughbred. Made for long term aging, this wine displayed incredible astringency from start to finish. Had a wonderful black cherry and rhubarb front, a little bit heated to the middle with some dried herb and allspice. Lots of wildflowers on the nose and entry. The finish was quite astringent with lots of stiff youthful oak tannin. If this was open for about two hours, it would have killed. So, for those that choose to open this one now, give it a fairly long time to breathe. Better yet, keep it in the cellar for about 3 or 4 years. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

If you want to impress a Somm with a bottle of wine, bring a Grand Cru Gamay. I hate using the term Beaujolais. It gives a lot of people the lesser impression of Beaujolais Nouveau which, equates to the impression left by Blue Nun in the 70’s/early 80’s and Yellow Tail in and around 2000.

This is one of my favorite producers of Gamay, a member of the “Gang of Four”; Lapierre, Thevenet, Foillard & Breton. There is a fifth honoree member to the “Gang of Four”, Yvon Metras, who I enjoy equally. If you want to finally appreciate this varietal, look for one of these producers from Morgan or Fleurie.

The nose reveals; dark cherries, blackberries, dark plum, stewed plum, baked strawberries, blueberry hues, spearmint, granitic minerals/soil, dark berry cola, thyme, rich forest floor, touch of cinnamon, very light caramel, dark chocolate, Indian spices, berry bubblegum, touch of band-aid, steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, a whiff of black pepper, dark red, purple fresh flowers with shades of violets.

The body is full, rich and guides over the palate. It shows some tannins. The structure & tension are still big. The length and balance are at the beginnings of truly rounding into butterfly form. Still will benefit from 5 plus years in bottle. Bright red florals are far more pronounced on the palate. Ripe/bright; dark tart cherries, blackberries, dark plum, stewed plum, baked strawberries, half baked rhubarb with lovely blueberry hues, blood orange & dry raisins. Spearmint, tree sap, granitic minerals/soil pressed in to the palate, dark berry cola, orange peel, thyme, rich forest floor, touch of cinnamon, very light caramel, dark chocolate, Indian spices, berry bubblegum, touch of band-aid, steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, hints of black pepper, dark red, purple fresh flowers with shades of violets. The acidity is like a warm summer rain shower. The long, rich, ripe, well balanced, elegant finish is nicely persistent for minutes.

12% ABV 👍

Photos of; Domaine Marcel Lapierre, Marcel Lapierre (may he RIP-2010), Marcel’s son and current Winemaker-Matheiu Lapierre and their Morgan Vineyard.
— 7 years ago