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2016 Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir, 1.5ltr

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

October 23, 2022 - $200

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RATINGS

94The Wine Advocate

...bright, open nose of Bing cherry, prosciutto, dried leaves, tricolored peppercorn, mushroom and blackberry with red berry sparks and rose petal perfume. Light to medium-bodied, it's open for business in the mouth, giving up a great interplay of earth and bright fruits. It's got a firm frame of chalky tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing very long and spicy. This is wonderful!

94Wine Enthusiast

High toned and perfumed, this wine has ample texture and structure. Rose, lavender and blood orange effuse from the glass, before powerful waves of strawberry compote and rhubarb shoot through hoops of savory minerality.

94+ Jeb Dunnuck

...beautiful bouquet of Bing cherry and cranberry fruit intermixed with subtle violets, damp forest floor, and candied orange peel. Classically styled, with medium-bodied depth and richness, it has a tight, vibrant texture, bright acidity, and present, ripe tannins...

91Vinous / IWC

...pretty, open-knit and easy to enjoy young. Crushed flowers, tobacco, licorice and dried herbs all lift from the glass. The 2016 offers lovely depth and silkiness. Pinot can be deceptive...mid-weight structure and slightly forward profile.

PRODUCER

Williams Selyem

Williams Selyem was founded in 1981 when Ed Selyem and Burt Williams, friends who shared winemaking as a hobby, decided to make a commercial vintage. The men were neighbors in the Russian River Valley with full time jobs that were unrelated to winemaking. Nevertheless they purchased grapes and made Zinfandel, then single-vineyard Pinot Noir. Williams Selyem Pinots quickly earned a cult following. In 1998 the founders sold the winery to John and Kathe Dyson, former customers with backgrounds in wine production and business. The winemaker is John Cabral. Though the estate is best known for Pinot Noir, it also makes Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Says Robert M. Parker Jr: “The overall style of Williams Selyem Pinots remains one of elegant, high-acid wines that can age….”

REGION

United States, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley

Russian River Valley AVA is named for the river that meanders from Mendocino County in the north until it finally runs into the Pacific Ocean north of San Francisco. The AVA is cool thanks to its proximity to the northern California coast and the river, and grape growers must learn to deal with regular fog. Nevertheless in recent decades the AVA has become one of the best in the state, meaning that its wines often earn excellent reviews and have considerable cachet. The AVA status was awarded in 1983 and today the appellation has 15,000 vineyard acres. Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape though Pinot Noir has also been very successful in recent decades. Russian River Valley Pinot Noir are known for being rich, lush and filled with concentrated fruit and berry flavors. Russian River Pinot Noirs are today considered some of the best domestic Pinot Noirs.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.