Bob McDonald

9.3

Unmistakably Central Otago to my palate. Red plums and raspberries. 20% of the grapes were whole bunch. Also aged in 27% new oak. I must mention Neil Martin’s famous Quote, “ Whenever there is a tasting designed to challenge the supremacy of Burgundy, it is usually Felton Road that is ushered into the ring”. Very much on allocation these days and can be difficult to source. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Williams Selyem – Pinot Noir “Westside Road Neighbors” – Vintage 2023
Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
An expressive and terroir-driven Pinot Noir from the revered Westside Road corridor of the Russian River Valley, a stretch synonymous with depth, precision, and complexity. This 2023 release from Williams Selyem showcases the hallmark elegance of the estate but with a more structured, site-focused personality.

Aromas & Flavors
Ripe cherry, red currant, and plum compote intertwined with notes of black tea, baking spice, and subtle earthy undertones. Hints of cola and dried rose petals emerge as the wine opens, adding nuance to its aromatic range.

Mouthfeel
Texturally denser than the core RRV bottling, with a refined backbone of tannin and a sense of gravitas on the palate. Medium-plus body with impressive balance, equal parts finesse and muscle. The finish is long, savory, and mineral-tinged, reflecting the complexity of its vineyard sources.

Food Pairings
Perfect for roast duck with cherry glaze, wild mushroom tart, or seared salmon with soy-ginger glaze. The structure also pairs beautifully with richer poultry or pork dishes.

Verdict
A Pinot Noir of precision and presence, more grounded and terroir-driven than its softer sibling. “Westside Road Neighbors” is the connoisseur’s pick: powerful yet graceful, and built for cellaring.

Did You Know?
The “Westside Road Neighbors” cuvée blends fruit from several prestigious vineyards located along one of Sonoma’s most famous Pinot corridors, where fog and afternoon sun create the perfect microclimate for depth and elegance.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This Pinot stands out for its balance of structure and soul. A wine that feels both intellectual and emotional, it invites reflection while still being effortlessly enjoyable. — 8 months ago

Paul J

9.3

Happy Father’s Day! PnP’d. Very similar to previous notes. Very enjoyable but restrained on the nose and palate. Lovely texture and depth. Amarone characteristics. — 4 years ago

with Brooke

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Sette Ponti or "seven bridges," refers to 7 bridges crossing the Arno River on the road from Arezzo to Florence. Blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cab Sauv & 10% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in new French oak. Very dark Ruby with pronounced aromas of dark fruits, cigar box & earthy notes, touch of floral citrus. Flavors of black cherry & blackberry with tobacco & spice. Fine tight tannins, long finish ending with cacao, tobacco & mineral spice as the finish builds. Decant now! Will continue to age! — 5 years ago

Daniel Bloom

8.9

Gritty black fruit. Thin on opening. Fleshes out and blooms with air and protein. A cool weather Cab Franc to be sure. Patience in the glass brings rewards. — 6 years ago

Jenks

9.1

I remember having this at the winery 4 years ago and thinking at the time it was one of the best sav blancs id ever tasted, which is easy to say in that setting. Revisiting and it’s still excellent, but I’m drinking it in my kitchen. More soft peach than typical passion fruit. Wonderfully balanced and unique. Martinborough > Marlborough. 12.5% $22 — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Hopefully Delectable will allow me to write a complete note. Here we go ….
Dark Ruby with a crimson rim. Closed on the nose initially. Straight from the bottle - should have decanted it. Rich on the palate. Latent power with much to give. Dark cherry with dried herbs still to come with further cellaring. This is the first of 5 bottles. In the early days Block 3 was the undisputed best Pinot in NZ but now Block 5 is considered along with other contenders from around NZ. Have the next one in a year. Many good judges think this is the best ever Block 3 up to this point. — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

White florals, citrus notes verging on white peach. These same notes extend through to the palate with Medium minus acid finishing with a saline note. Very moreish. There should be a bigger fuss made on the excellence of New Zealand Chardonnay which can be world class. Just the right amount of acid for short term cellaring. Thoroughly delicious. Had another bottle 93 weeks later on 3rd January 2025 with consistent notes. Just an excellent new world Chardonnay. Have the last one at the end of 2025 or early 2026. We ended up having the last bottle on 21st June 2025. Just an outstanding new world Chardonnay / ticks all the boxes. — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.4

This 2017 is less opulent, more compact, and tightly coiled compared to the 2016. Because of that, I followed this wine over two days.

On day one, this was tart and tangy…almost steely and too powerful. Day two saw this blossom and expand on the palate. The tart/tangy vibe is still there but it’s accompanied by a deep richness. Everything about this Chardonnay is lemon driven…lemon oil, lemon scone, powdered lemon tart bar, especially on the nose. There is a nervy vein of acidity at the core carrying notes of pineapple and white peach, but never pushed too far to the ripe side. One of those wines that retains freshness with the richness. If popping now, decant 1-2hrs or hold another few years, and enjoy the 2016 before opening this 2017! — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Part of a double-blind, side-by-side between the 2017 Sandlands Mataro, which also happens to be from Contra Costa County. Opened and allowed both bottles to slow-ox about three hours prior to our guests arriving. Slightly deeper in color. The nose was lingonberries and dusty earth. On the palate, there were plums and spices. This comes across more round than the Sandlands and has the silkiest of deliveries. Medium tannins but they seemed to grow as time went on.

Given the structure, I expect these to continue aging very well. At this stage, this comes across as a very elegant wine. The Oakley Road Vineyard is own-rooted and dry-farmed; planted 117 years ago. 352 cases. — 6 years ago

Juan Borda

9.4

Wow! Love this one. I was waiting for a special occasion to open this one! — 6 years ago

Erin Joyce

9.2

Waited a few years to drink the 2017 and it’s even better than I remembered. In times like these it’s important to savor the floral bouquet and stone fruit deliciousness of this wine and essentials like Clorox bleach. — 6 years ago

with Sandra

Magnus Hovet

9.3

Needed some time to open up, but was worth it. Silky smooth, lots of presence and subtle earth notes. Really long finish and super smooth once again — 3 months ago

Norman

9.0

This one read thin to me. It’s been better. — 6 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

See several previous Delectable notes on this wine and vintage. A pale crimson colour with tawny garnet shades. Aromatics of red fruits (strawberry) and Sous Bois on the nose. It may be pale in colour but carries a Medium plus palate intensity of good length. A very good 2nd wine from Bell Hill from the Canterbury district (just to the north of Christchurch) which deserves more recognition as a source of high quality Pinot Noir. Also referred to as the Waipara District. — 2 years ago

Seth Masterson

9.2

Balletto Pinot showdown no. 1
Best in the mouth.
Light ruby-garnet. Visually appears to have age beyond it's 4 years to me.
Not a great nose- overripe fruit, some blue notes, oaky spice- maybe has seen new American oak?
Mouth: wow, great full++ mouth feel, a really nice roundness here, unexpected.
This wine is ready to drink right now! — 4 years ago

Tom Lyons

8.9

Nice!!! Good subtle flavors, great to drink — 5 years ago

Jerae Knutson

DuMOL Member Services

9.6

If you snagged a few bottles of this wine in your allocation you can feel comfortable opening a bottle soon - let the wine evolve in your glass. If you’re patient, you’ll be greatly rewarded by tucking a few bottles in your cellar for 5+ (and up to 11) years. 77% of the fruit comes from DuMOL’s O’Connell Estate Vineyard and 23% from Occidental Road Vineyard. Finn is always layered with a velvety finish, and always a Member favorite. — 5 years ago

Mike Pepper

9.2

Very smooth and silky Merlot, drinks more like a lighter cab. Excellent compliment to the BBQ pork chops — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry fruits, sweet spice and cedar. Flavors of blackberry and cherry, some herb with vanilla, oak and cacao notes, well balanced. Fine tannins, good mouthfeel on long finish ending with mocha and espresso tones. Has room to age. Tasting Sample. Nice but a bit pricey! — 6 years ago