Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A blend of several vineyards located near the winery, in the valley’s famed Middle Reach, this is the biggest and richest of Williams Selyem’s Spring 2007 releases. Full-bodied and soft, it shows ripe flavors of cherries, pomegranates, plums, sweet rhubarb, cola and sandalwood.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A collection of wines from some of Williams-Selyem’s neighbors results in a formidable blend called Pinot Noir Westside Road Neighbors. The 2007 exhibits a deep ruby color as well as sweet, gamey, raspberry, black cherry, and boysenberry fruit intertwined with a crushed rock-like minerality, medium body, and vibrant acidity. Unquestionably, it is the finest as well as sexiest of these generic offerings.
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.