2022 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

The wine will arrive by early July 2024, all going to plan

Maturation in 40% new, 60% first year barrels.

Sourced from a multitude of sites throughout the appellation, this expressive wine brings together unique and individual flavour profiles to provide a balanced and 360 degree perspective on the Russian River Valley. Red fruits, red and purple flowers, hints of English Breakfast tea wrap up with the woodsy, earthy side of pinot noir. Highlights of fennel and fresh herbs add an additional layer of interest and intrigue to the aromatics. Firmer in texture and tannin, the palate is saturated with red fruits and citrus flavours.

Like most good stories, the history of Williams Selyem owes much to serendipity. If a grower with an abundance of fruit hadn’t given Burt Williams a few tonnes of free grapes in the 1970s, Burt might never have discovered his love and flair for winemaking. And if Burt and his partner Ed Selyem had been able to afford the French Burgundies they both favoured, they might never have tried making their own pinot noir.

The two friends didn’t set out to produce wines for anyone but themselves. And they surely never imagined that their humble experiment in home winemaking would spawn a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Together, Burt and Ed set a new standard for American-made pinot noir, and elevated Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley to among the best wine growing regions in the world.

Now considered Russian River Valley royalty, Williams Selyem are responsible for some of the most sought-after handcrafted expressions of pinot noir across both the New World and Old.