Winemaker Notes
#2 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2019
Bright and lively, the nose shows off aromas of fresh strawberry and raspberry. Anise, fennel, and a touch of lavender belie the fresh fruit character. Flavors of cranberry and strawberry mix with citrus notes of bergamot, adding depth and intrigue. The palate is broad and refined with a finish of Earl Grey tea. Great for early consumption with simple preparations of duck or a seasonal mushroom duxelles on toasted brioche.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a perfumed and seductive wine made from a range of sites across the county. Fresh acidity is seamlessly integrated between textured layers of black cherry, forest floor and cardamom. The overall experience is balanced and undeniably beautiful.
Cellar Selection -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I have enjoyed—and continue to so—Sonoma County Pinot Noirs as my basic go-to AVA for this grape variety. The 2017 Williams Selyem Sonoma County Pinot Noir beautifully defines the category. TASTING NOTES: This wine is gentle, rich, and wonderfully balanced. Its aromas and flavors of ripe strawberry and blueberries should pair it well with grilled chicken over a bed of arugula, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. (Tasted: January 28, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Supple flavors of sandalwood, pomegranate and dried cherry are mouthfilling and feature a snap of acidity. The spicy finish turns creamy, with hints of cocoa powder. Drink now through 2022. 1,624 cases made.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.