Winemaker Notes
Red fruited at first nosing; the wine showcases a floral character beloved in Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs. There is an earthy, dried herb component mixed with a touch of bergamot which adds to the complexity to the kaleidoscope of aromas. A burst of red fruits mix with flavors of Earl Grey tea on the round but well-balanced palate, and the acidity keeps the wine fresh on the tongue.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Lush and earthy in all the right ways, this appellation wine is effusive and floral in a lovely bouquet of wild rose. Bright red fruit persists through the structured and well-integrated body, with fresh acidity and accents of black tea and cardamom lifting it up.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is an opulent wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits well-appointed black fruit aromas and flavors that last long on the palate. Pair it with a rosemary-infused, roast leg of lamb. (Tasted: March 3, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley has an open, inviting nose of charcuterie, warm blackberries and cranberries, licorice and bark. Light to medium-bodied, it's restrained and super spicy in the mouth with a fine grain and long, fresh finish.
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.