Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is such an impressive appellation-wide blend, combining several vineyard sites into a cohesive whole. Incredibly aromatic in rose and raspberry, the palate brings velvety layers of dark cherry and cinnamon, with integrated acidity keeping the balance.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Sonoma County's Russian River Valley has often produced some of California's very best Pinot Noirs. The 2017 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is rock-solid good. TASTING NOTES: This wine delivers on all fronts. Its aromas and flavors of ripe red fruits, oak accents, and sweet spices should pair it famously with Rosemary, garlic, and crushed black pepper-accented lamb chops. (Tasted: January 28, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
In the same thread, the 2017 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley shows classic Russian River fruit (although not much cola) as well as plenty of spice, underbrush, and floral notes. Giving up plenty of wild strawberry and Bing cherry fruit, medium to full body, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. it has plenty of upfront charm, yet I suspect capable of lasting for 8-10 years.
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Wine Spectator
Robust, with juicy red plum and raspberry flavors, flanked by notes of sandalwood and cedar. Licorice snap and cherry accents show on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 2,449 cases made.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.