1997 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
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Tasting notes
The 1997 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coastlands exhibits sweeter fruit than the Allen Vineyard, intermixed with smoke and pain grille. This wine possesses a lush, Volnay-like personality with considerable seductiveness and intensity. The acidity is noticeable, but not over-bearing. The eight Pinot Noir tasting notes in this segment represent about half of the available cuvees. All of the offerings revealed high levels of tangy acidity, a style that allows the winery to utilize extremely low levels of sulphur, a worthy objective. The 1997 Pinot Noirs possess light ruby colors, aggressive acidity, and copious quantities of the red fruit melange - kirsch liqueur, strawberries, cherries, and red currants. Tel. (707) 433-6425; Fax (707) 578-3882
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Medium dull red color. Diffuse aromas of smoke and red fruits. Rather shallow flavor dominated by caramel from the new oak. Finishes with a roasted note and a slightly sour suggestion of acidity. Unimpressive.
About the producer
Williams Selyem is an iconic Russian River Valley winery best known for its Pinot Noir. Producing restrained yet classically Californian expressions of the heartbreak grape (as well as a host of other wines), the property has gone from pioneer to one of the region’s standard-bearers.