Winemaker Notes
Crisp and fresh, the Unoaked Chardonnay has a charm and elegance. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees, the wine showcases the breadth of character of older vine Chardonnay. Notes of Meyer lemon, quince, pear, and pear skin combine with a delicate white flower aroma. The palate has depth and polish but with tenacity owing to the tannins in the thick skins of these older vines. The lees stirring during aging, coupled with the refreshing acidity, creates a harmonious structure and texture.
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2020 Williams Selyem Unoaked Chardonnay is straightforward and delicious. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with fresh apple aromas and flavors that stay bright and crisp. Pair it with lightly-battered Petrale sole. (Tasted: January 24, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Chardonnay Unoaked is fragrant with citrus zest, pilsner, lime candy, and honeydew melon, while the palate is snappy with crunchy green apple, white peach, and lemon zest. It has light effervescence on the palate, but it maintains a rounded texture.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.