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. — 21 days ago

C. Cole

9.2

Cherries, plums, and raspberries combine into a smooth, lovely wine. Perfect for a cool, foggy evening with lamb on the grill. — 14 days ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.3

Nice, light good acidity — 17 days ago

C. Cole

9.3

A year ago I tried Litton for the first time—a bottle one year younger. What a difference a year makes. Wow! Velvety mouthfeel; blackberries, currents, and soft cherries; and elements of forest floor minerality make for an exceptional wine! — 7 days ago

C. Cole

9.0

Not as familiar with WS Chardonnay as with its pinots, but I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Crisp, mellow citrus, and bright in both color and flavor. A beautiful start to the evening. Thanks, Amy, for sharing your find! — a month ago

Hiram Carrington

9.2

Still brill 5 years later! Happy Saturday peeps! — 9 hours ago

Sean Peay

9.2

Great time, good food and great wines and friends — 20 days ago

with Jonathan

Kevin Bohlin

9.3

Purchased at winery and stored in a controlled wine cellar. Most reviews here are a bit young, this wine is now hitting its stride but could also benefit from another 1-2 years. Some call this a California Grand Cru while some call it overrated. I love Burgundy and would say this drinks on par with mid to low tier Grand Crus in my opinion. Sweet and rich yes, but balanced with bright acid and structure. It has an impressive nose of rose, black cherry and vanilla but with an earthy herb quality that reminds me of great burgundy. More air reveals attractive grilled herbs and stem qualities. The palate is intense and rich with cherry and raspberry, powerful but silky verging on velvety texture and a long finish with a signature WS acid profile. There is a lot of oak but with this fruit and bottle age it is lovely....DRC uses even more oak so it’s not a sin with the right wine! — 19 days ago

Brian Reedy

8.9

Bright acidity. Grassy, light pear, a little lychee — 8 hours ago

with Sarah

Gilbert Van Hassel

8.9

Straightfwd light Pinot nothing more nothing less. — 18 days ago