1996 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Olivet Lane Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Dark red-ruby color. Tight berry and spice nose hints at almost port-like ripeness. Creamy-sweet in the mouth, with a fat texture and elevated alcohol (14.9%); flavors are rather zinfandel-like. Williams, who told me that the vineyard owner picked these grapes several days later than Williams would have liked, called this slightly high-toned wine "pinot port." The above release is far more typical pinot noir, but some tasters (including fans of the 1994 Oregon vintage) will love this huge, sweet wine.
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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.