2009 Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Notes
Ripe black cherry cobbler, sassafras, bacon, porcini mushrooms and earth aromas fill your glass. The concentrated black cherry flavors coat your palate, as flavors of mushrooms, white flowers, citrus zest, spice and smoky/toasty vanilla bean appear in the background. The silkiness of the tannins holds long and firm through the juicy, mouth watering finish. In my humble opinion, a much better site expressive wine than its 2007 “older sister”. I am hiding a case of this in my personal cellar labeled “OPEN IN 2020!!!”
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
Scores & Reviews
| Points | Publication | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 94 | Wine Spectator Insider | December 7, 2011 |
The Vineyard
Our Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard is nestled in the heart of the Russian River Valley, half a mile south of the winery on Westside Road. With an opportunity to plant to our exact specifications, we selected clones of Pommard, Swan, 777 Dijon, Mt. Eden (UCD 37) and 828 Dijon, and chose five different root stocks to match the soil types. The vines are positioned northeast to southwest to allow for even exposure to the summer sun.
Harvest 2009
2009 produced magnificent wines, to rival those of 2007, expressing the individuality of the sites on which they were grown with intense flavors and perfumed aromas.
Following the hardships of the 2008 growing season, late winter and spring of 2009 were unseasonably warm with little precipitation. Bud break occurred early March and unlike 2008, frost was not a problem. Berry set was even, benefitting from ideal daytime temperatures around 70F-75F, despite early May rains. Some bunch-stem necrosis was evident on our vineyards, resulting in loss of yields.
The summer months were characterized by cooler than average weather, aided by morning fog, with very few heat spikes during the fruit ripening stage of the vine growth cycle. This resulted in intense flavor and aroma development, good acidity and phenolic development in tune with sugar accumulation. Warmer weather in late August ensured optimal ripeness culminating in harvest commencing in earnest by the Labor Day weekend. A warm September ensured that all Pinot Noir (Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Central Coast), Zinfandel and Chardonnay were picked before the mid-October rains that played havoc with later ripening varieties. Moderate yields delivered wines of exceptional color, flavors, and aromas with balanced acidity and tannins.
As in 2007, the wines convey their unique characters in a vivid, precise and evocative manner. The 2009 vintage is one of the finest I have experienced in my 31 vintages at a commercial winery.
Technical Notes
| Barrel Description: | 69% new, 31% 1-year-old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 17 months |
| pH: | 3.39 |
| TA: | 0.66g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 14.1% |
| Release Date: | Fall 2011 |
| Release Price: | $100 |