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2021 Williams Selyem Olivet Lane Vineyard Chardonnay

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Latest Sale Price

July 13, 2025 - $47

Estimate

RATINGS

96The Wine Advocate

...aromas segue from matchstick, lemon and Greek yogurt to more savory wafts of brioche, beeswax and jasmine...medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive, its flavors gently creamy, and its finish is long and flinty.

95James Suckling

Lime skin and pear skin. Pear blossom. Honey blossom. Sliced cooked pear and apple. Full-bodied, polished and very fine. You can feel the solids in this. Very cool.

94Jeb Dunnuck

...fresh with ripe green apple and honeyed citrus...full-bodied, with a soft texture and notes of frangipane, lemon curd, and fresh pear...long on the finish.

92Wine Spectator

...opens to aromatic notes of peach blossoms, lemongrass and chamomile, which evolve to fresh, crisp citrus flavors, a touch of ripe, salted melon and a dash of dried apricot. Remains elegant and detailed, with a hint of white tea on the long finish.

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

White Wine, Chardonnay

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.

VINTAGE

2021 Williams Selyem Olivet Lane Vineyard Chardonnay