Williams Selyem
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA
17 years in bottle & it is in perfect form. Excellent with vinaigrette salad w/ caramelized walnuts & dried dark cherries.
17 years in bottle & it is in perfect form. Excellent with vinaigrette salad w/ caramelized walnuts & dried dark cherries.
Jun 19th, 2021Not exactly pizza wine but, I bought six bottles of this 02 Williams Selyem for $35-$36 w/ tax & fees recently on the secondary market. I have enjoyed a number of their 02’s for many years…such a great Pinot Noir Sonoma vintage. Especially, for WS. I feel for the seller who actually barely might have broke even or even lost a couple of bucks on this sale after fees.
Still spectacular after 18 plus years in bottle. She is still strutting her stuff.
Visually you look at the color in the glass, it’s silty & cloudy.
The body is ripe, rich, smooth & shining integration. The fruits bright, somewhat candied, floral & showing shades of stewed. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, cherries, poached strawberries, pomegranate juice, slightly dry cranberries, raspberries with singing purple & blue fruits as it sets. Some dark, rich, dark forest floor with dry leaves & twigs w/ tree sap, vanillin, nutmeg, cinnamon, dark spices, notes of dry herbaceousness - bay leaf, sage & marjoram, black licorice, mixed berry cola, powdery limestone & dry rocks, just a hint of pepper, grilled, savory meats, fresh tobacco leaves, red, blue, dark flowers laid in a field of violets. The acidity is like a spring shower. The finish is rich, ruby, well knitted & balanced with length & polish for days.
Its subtle knock, a touch hot at the beginning with it fading in the second glass.
The 02 is singing with another 3-5 years of good drinking ahead. It’s new world with Burgundy threads.
For me, this WS Pinot Noir is seriously peaking. Best bottle of the 02 WS Sonoma Coast I have enjoyed over the 12-15 bottles I’ve had.
Definitely pushing 94. I stole these amazing bottles. Thank you universe.
Not exactly pizza wine but, I bought six bottles of this 02 Williams Selyem for $35-$36 w/ tax & fees recently on the secondary market. I have enjoyed a number of their 02’s for many years…such a great Pinot Noir Sonoma vintage. Especially, for WS. I feel for the seller who actually barely might have broke even or even lost a couple of bucks on this sale after fees.
Still spectacular after 18 plus years in bottle. She is still strutting her stuff.
Visually you look at the color in the glass, it’s silty & cloudy.
The body is ripe, rich, smooth & shining integration. The fruits bright, somewhat candied, floral & showing shades of stewed. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, cherries, poached strawberries, pomegranate juice, slightly dry cranberries, raspberries with singing purple & blue fruits as it sets. Some dark, rich, dark forest floor with dry leaves & twigs w/ tree sap, vanillin, nutmeg, cinnamon, dark spices, notes of dry herbaceousness - bay leaf, sage & marjoram, black licorice, mixed berry cola, powdery limestone & dry rocks, just a hint of pepper, grilled, savory meats, fresh tobacco leaves, red, blue, dark flowers laid in a field of violets. The acidity is like a spring shower. The finish is rich, ruby, well knitted & balanced with length & polish for days.
Its subtle knock, a touch hot at the beginning with it fading in the second glass.
The 02 is singing with another 3-5 years of good drinking ahead. It’s new world with Burgundy threads.
For me, this WS Pinot Noir is seriously peaking. Best bottle of the 02 WS Sonoma Coast I have enjoyed over the 12-15 bottles I’ve had.
Definitely pushing 94. I stole these amazing bottles. Thank you universe.
Finally cool enough for some light red wine. We've had about 18 bottles of this 02. It's never disappointed once. 2002 a very good Pinot vintage in Sonoma overall. William Selyem simply grows great fruit and then the get out of the way of it. Meaning, they treat it gently and don't allow for big influences...including oak to get in the way of it. The acid in this vintage is superb. This 02 hasn't faltered and will age another 5 years or so. Most of their wines/vintages age gracefully. On the nose, sweet light and mid red fruits. Ripe and slightly candied; cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, dry cranberries, black cherries and always the best raspberries. Red vines, cola, soft limestone minerals and beautifully fragrant red florals. The palate is still so fresh & clean. Everything resolved and well balanced. Ripe; cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, dry cranberries, black cherries and amazing raspberries. Red vines, black cherry cola, vanilla, soft spice, right intensity of baking spices, chalky limestone minerals, perfect round acidity and a long, gorgeous, well balanced and polished finish that sings. So good and easy to drink. Photos of; the interior & exterior of William Selyem and one of their Sonoma vineyards.
Finally cool enough for some light red wine. We've had about 18 bottles of this 02. It's never disappointed once. 2002 a very good Pinot vintage in Sonoma overall. William Selyem simply grows great fruit and then the get out of the way of it. Meaning, they treat it gently and don't allow for big influences...including oak to get in the way of it. The acid in this vintage is superb. This 02 hasn't faltered and will age another 5 years or so. Most of their wines/vintages age gracefully. On the nose, sweet light and mid red fruits. Ripe and slightly candied; cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, dry cranberries, black cherries and always the best raspberries. Red vines, cola, soft limestone minerals and beautifully fragrant red florals. The palate is still so fresh & clean. Everything resolved and well balanced. Ripe; cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, dry cranberries, black cherries and amazing raspberries. Red vines, black cherry cola, vanilla, soft spice, right intensity of baking spices, chalky limestone minerals, perfect round acidity and a long, gorgeous, well balanced and polished finish that sings. So good and easy to drink. Photos of; the interior & exterior of William Selyem and one of their Sonoma vineyards.
1 person found it helpfulSep 3rd, 2017I've had this wine countless times over the last two years and it remains a great example of how well Williams Selyem farms fruit. The raspberry in this wine is perfect. On the nose, fresh ripe fruits of cherries, raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate, soft chalky limestone and fresh red & pink florals. The palate is; rich, round, elegant and flat out delicious. The fruits are so amazing. Cherries, raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate and just a hint of rhubarb. Cinnamon, light nutmeg, dark spice and loamy dark soils. The chalkiness is so fine and beautiful as are the limestone minerals. When you look up rich, round, elegant in the dictionary, there is a picture of this wine. The acidity rains on the palate. Jeff Mangahas is their Wine Director. After graduating, with an M.S. in Enology he worked his first harvest with Artesa Vineyards. After Artesa, Jeff has became the Assistant Winemaker at Dutton-Goldfield. He was also a Winemaker for Hartford Family Winery. The Readers Digest version of the Williams Selyem story goes a little like this...the Williams Selyem Winery began under Ed Selyem and Burt Williams, who started weekend winemaking as a hobby in 1979 in a garage. The original name of the winery in 1981 was "Hacienda Del Rio." In 1982, they produced their first vintage as Williams Selyem. However, the name did not become legal until 1984. In 1998, Ed & Burt sold the winery to its current owner, John Dyson who purchased several additional parcels and built the state of the art Winery featured in the photos.
I've had this wine countless times over the last two years and it remains a great example of how well Williams Selyem farms fruit. The raspberry in this wine is perfect. On the nose, fresh ripe fruits of cherries, raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate, soft chalky limestone and fresh red & pink florals. The palate is; rich, round, elegant and flat out delicious. The fruits are so amazing. Cherries, raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate and just a hint of rhubarb. Cinnamon, light nutmeg, dark spice and loamy dark soils. The chalkiness is so fine and beautiful as are the limestone minerals. When you look up rich, round, elegant in the dictionary, there is a picture of this wine. The acidity rains on the palate. Jeff Mangahas is their Wine Director. After graduating, with an M.S. in Enology he worked his first harvest with Artesa Vineyards. After Artesa, Jeff has became the Assistant Winemaker at Dutton-Goldfield. He was also a Winemaker for Hartford Family Winery. The Readers Digest version of the Williams Selyem story goes a little like this...the Williams Selyem Winery began under Ed Selyem and Burt Williams, who started weekend winemaking as a hobby in 1979 in a garage. The original name of the winery in 1981 was "Hacienda Del Rio." In 1982, they produced their first vintage as Williams Selyem. However, the name did not become legal until 1984. In 1998, Ed & Burt sold the winery to its current owner, John Dyson who purchased several additional parcels and built the state of the art Winery featured in the photos.
Darker mid fruit than other Selyem's I've had recently. The core is almost blackberries. More cinnamon and spice as well. Still great fruit, complexity and near perfect acidity.
Darker mid fruit than other Selyem's I've had recently. The core is almost blackberries. More cinnamon and spice as well. Still great fruit, complexity and near perfect acidity.
Aug 15th, 2015A little heat on the nose but great on the palette. Fresh, nice acid.
A little heat on the nose but great on the palette. Fresh, nice acid.
Aug 22nd, 2013
For its age still showing very well. Strawberries, raspberries, smooth with a touch of oak and bit of heat
For its age still showing very well. Strawberries, raspberries, smooth with a touch of oak and bit of heat
Feb 14th, 2016