Wine Article
2011 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Last edited on 1/12/2016 by alexparr
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Winemaker’s Notes
The wild raspberries, Asian spice, green tea and a mocha nose convey the classic Sonoma Coast Pinot characteristics. Your mouth will explode with flavors of ripe wild berries, cranberries, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, toffee and white pepper. Rich tannins and acidity balance out the ripe, wild berry flavors, citrus peel and fresh herbs. The long, rich mouthfeel finish this fantastic textural experience.
The Vineyards
The Pinot Noir for this blend was sourced primarily from the Peay Vineyard and our Drake Estate Vineyard.
Harvest 2011
The 2011 vintage was marked by another cool year that produced wines with tremendous purity and depth. Similar in many ways to 2010 – without the extremes – it had very low yields and below average cooler weather. But, the growing season in 2011 was much more consistent with gentle warming days and very cold summer nights. As a consequence, the vintage produced wines with incredible purity, remarkable acid and tannin balance, while expressing the uniqueness of each individual site and region.
The winter months brought abundant rainfall and kept the soil moist and cold.Bud break was delayed until the last week of March. Cool and overcast spring weather allowed for a slow growth cycle of the vines and likewise delayed flowering by a week to ten days. It rained several times at the end of May and early June, which affected the berry set and shattered many clusters — up to 20% of the berries on a cluster did not set. The rain also created protracted flowering and therefore a wider range of berry maturity. This type of flowering is similar to what typically happens in coastal vineyards. With a wide range of berry development with respect to flavor and tannin, the resultant wines exhibit a tremendous amount of depth and complexity.
The cool spring gave way to beautiful and mild weather in early summer and the lighter crop was able to mature at an even pace. In late August, the fog rolled in a little heavier than normal, which slowed down ripening a small amount. Harvest commenced on September 7th, and continued at an even pace until the remainder of the grapes were harvested just prior to the early October rains. Overall, yields were down in almost every vineyard – almost 25% lower in some cases.
The 2011 vintage may initially be remembered for the lower yields, but it will be defined by some incredibly site-driven and expressive wines. The signature of this vintage is one where the wines have bright fruit qualities, sound acidities and elegant tannin profiles. It is truly a vintage worth seeking.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Barrel Description:
33% new, 33% 1 yr., 34% 2 yr.
Barrel Aged: 10 months
Alc.: 13.7%
pH: 3.58
TA: 0.67g/100mL
Release Date: Spring 2013
Release Price: $49
Drink/Hold: Drink
Optimal Drinking Window: 2014-2020
Source; Winery web site
The wild raspberries, Asian spice, green tea and a mocha nose convey the classic Sonoma Coast Pinot characteristics. Your mouth will explode with flavors of ripe wild berries, cranberries, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, toffee and white pepper. Rich tannins and acidity balance out the ripe, wild berry flavors, citrus peel and fresh herbs. The long, rich mouthfeel finish this fantastic textural experience.
The Vineyards
The Pinot Noir for this blend was sourced primarily from the Peay Vineyard and our Drake Estate Vineyard.
Harvest 2011
The 2011 vintage was marked by another cool year that produced wines with tremendous purity and depth. Similar in many ways to 2010 – without the extremes – it had very low yields and below average cooler weather. But, the growing season in 2011 was much more consistent with gentle warming days and very cold summer nights. As a consequence, the vintage produced wines with incredible purity, remarkable acid and tannin balance, while expressing the uniqueness of each individual site and region.
The winter months brought abundant rainfall and kept the soil moist and cold.Bud break was delayed until the last week of March. Cool and overcast spring weather allowed for a slow growth cycle of the vines and likewise delayed flowering by a week to ten days. It rained several times at the end of May and early June, which affected the berry set and shattered many clusters — up to 20% of the berries on a cluster did not set. The rain also created protracted flowering and therefore a wider range of berry maturity. This type of flowering is similar to what typically happens in coastal vineyards. With a wide range of berry development with respect to flavor and tannin, the resultant wines exhibit a tremendous amount of depth and complexity.
The cool spring gave way to beautiful and mild weather in early summer and the lighter crop was able to mature at an even pace. In late August, the fog rolled in a little heavier than normal, which slowed down ripening a small amount. Harvest commenced on September 7th, and continued at an even pace until the remainder of the grapes were harvested just prior to the early October rains. Overall, yields were down in almost every vineyard – almost 25% lower in some cases.
The 2011 vintage may initially be remembered for the lower yields, but it will be defined by some incredibly site-driven and expressive wines. The signature of this vintage is one where the wines have bright fruit qualities, sound acidities and elegant tannin profiles. It is truly a vintage worth seeking.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Barrel Description:
33% new, 33% 1 yr., 34% 2 yr.
Barrel Aged: 10 months
Alc.: 13.7%
pH: 3.58
TA: 0.67g/100mL
Release Date: Spring 2013
Release Price: $49
Drink/Hold: Drink
Optimal Drinking Window: 2014-2020
Source; Winery web site