Amazing that at 16yrs old, this can still have such abundant fruit characteristics. Even more, it really needed quite a bit of time to open. Pop and pour was mainly red clay, soft plum, herbs and the faintest bit of raspberries. After some time in bottle, the raspberries burst forth and were gorgeous. Since this was so old, acidity wasn’t as pronounced, but I think that gave the raspberries an even more lush and abundant flavor. Lovely bottle. Could still go 2-3yrs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think that the best years of this wine are firmly behind it. However, enjoyed tonight with a slightly more youthful crowd, this WS Pinot was right there in the middle of the pack. It was a small pack today, and this wine was more fig and plum than anything else. The nose of this wine changed about 3 times over a short 20 minutes. First I was getting a cat litter kind of nose (anyone else running to open their bottles???) :) Then the wine sort of settled to a black cherry plum and fig kind of thing. Then the wine really softened to where a black cherry tart, raisin, and sour red note developed. Definitely past its prime. Enjoyable for the history of WS wines, but would be a little ticked off if this was my wine and I had held on to it for that long.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
actually had my last bottle and it wasnt good. just like the first one, muddy waters after spending years in a wine refrigerator I really expected much better. Other williams selyem 2002 pinots have been great but this one is off ... twice. I will try other Flax from other years to see if they are muddy also.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Still dark in color with a nose that exploded with spice (cinnamon?), red fruit and perhaps even some baked apples. Really enjoyable and could probably last a bit longer, but no need to wait. Sadly my last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow! This wine is as close to a "pop and pour" pinot as I've ever experienced from W-S. And I have tried a BUNCH of them. Fruit is luscious right now with decent structure and good depth. Love this bottle of wine but doubt it will get any better. If you have some, I recommend consuming it now vs. later as it outstanding right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not a varietally-typical example. On the contrary, the opaque deep ruby-garnet color resembles more a Dry Creek Zin; as do some of the aromatics. Even though, the hedonistic fruit is so impressionable and the wine, surprisingly balanced. Similar notes to my last, although the flavors were less caramel and more candied cherries this time; like a huge, macerated fist-full! Definitely an Extraordinary experience and so, has earned a place on my list of epiphany wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fairly dark, browning only slightly. Nice bottle bouquet in the nose. All secondary smells with cola and root beer the tell-tales signs of a Sonoma Pinot. Bit of spritz at the tip of the tongue, little fruit, more leathery, mushroomy components. Better drunk 2 or 3 years ago. 4-11-14-5: 84/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color very evolved. Sweet-too sweet-fruit in the nose. More like jam than wine. Way too fat and ponderous, this has not aged well at all. There is no acid, no backbone, no balance whatsoever-just too much alcohol - not hot - and fruit. 4-7-9-3: 73/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Although a tad ripe and nowhere near perfectly-balance, this was truly an "Extraordinary" experience, and so my score (similar to the '01 Ramey Jericho Cyn). Intoxicating aromatics of melted butter & brown sugar (caramel?..no. butterscotch?..), candied cherries and bing cherry coulis. Fruit-forward and rich, with a flavor profile right in line with those alluring aromatics. So hedonistic, I just let it float in my mouth; reluctant to actually swallow it and end the bliss! A richness, I've never before experienced in a Pinot. That said, there was no mistaking this wine for anything other than a warm vintage Cali exemplar. No earth; no herbs; no terroir, so to speak. But, who cares! This was much more than a bottle of wine. Again, a truly singular experience. Ever since being introduced to this producer by their "#1 Fan", I've been pining to try this bottling. A fitting coincidence when he showed up with this '02, as one of a stellar lineup to pair with an equally stellar menu at Keller's ad Hoc, last night. Thanks J.E.T.!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nothing special--to my great disappointment. Well stored for 6 years and opened with considerable hope and expectation. Faded purple color fading further to the edges. Dull nose with nothing distinctive except minimal dark fruit and cola. Cloudy in the glass. Plenty of dull fruit on the palate, minimal acidity and no length to the finish. The RRV of the same year is superior and lower in cost. Consumed over two days,with no improvement overnight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not as compelling as the Allen or Rochioli versions, but still quite interesting and enjoyable. I kinda get where the "stewed" comments come from, and completely agree that this is drinking as well as it ever will right now, but I'd be happy to drink another tomorrow night!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I tasted this with 3 other aged Pinots. I did prefer the 1997 William Selyem - Hirsch to this wine, but I did enjoy the William Selyem's over the Dehlinger Pinots. The WS were more balanced with peat and earth on the nose and a nice finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Persian Food Meets Pinot and Chard (The Murray Casa): My oldest WS from my cellar and a wine, like with the Beringer Sbragia chard, that I expected better from. Like with the Beringer, the WS fell flat. Some bramble and raisin, with dark color. One dimensional and a bit gooey with fig paste and jammy. Andy called it stewed. Disappointing and IMO, if you have this in your cellar, drink it now as it ain't going to get better from here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Overall a nice bottle of wine, except for a distracting level of over-ripeness, bordering on raisiny, that is really disappointing and not at all what I've come to expect from WS. I hope this isn't a trend. Aside from that, med/light bodied, deeply colored, with mostly resolved tannins, and mostly plummy-type fruit profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic RRV pinot. A nose of cola, black cherry, pomegranate, white flowers and hint of freshly mown grass. A pleasing round, fat mouthful of blackberry, caramel and a touch of loamy earth. Smooth, succulent finish. Compared to a bottle opened a few weeks ago this showed less citrusy acidity but also a little less detail. Swings and roundabouts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Impressive nose of blackberry, pomegranate, caramel, dark damp earth and a touch of freshly sawn redwood. Fat creamy mouthfeel with cassis, zesty cherry, vanilla and touch of licorice. The finish has good length, bright fruit but shows a tart, citrusy edge. Obviously a wine with considerable new oak but it carries it well. Will likely continue to improve for another with another 2-3 years, which will hopefully allow integration of the (augmented) acid.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
5/10/2020 - pdxinjury Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fruit survived but tannins maybe not. Still enjoyable. Darker and heavier than Oregon Pinot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2018 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing that at 16yrs old, this can still have such abundant fruit characteristics. Even more, it really needed quite a bit of time to open. Pop and pour was mainly red clay, soft plum, herbs and the faintest bit of raspberries. After some time in bottle, the raspberries burst forth and were gorgeous. Since this was so old, acidity wasn’t as pronounced, but I think that gave the raspberries an even more lush and abundant flavor. Lovely bottle. Could still go 2-3yrs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2018 - mflesh wrote:
I think that the best years of this wine are firmly behind it. However, enjoyed tonight with a slightly more youthful crowd, this WS Pinot was right there in the middle of the pack. It was a small pack today, and this wine was more fig and plum than anything else. The nose of this wine changed about 3 times over a short 20 minutes. First I was getting a cat litter kind of nose (anyone else running to open their bottles???) :) Then the wine sort of settled to a black cherry plum and fig kind of thing. Then the wine really softened to where a black cherry tart, raisin, and sour red note developed. Definitely past its prime. Enjoyable for the history of WS wines, but would be a little ticked off if this was my wine and I had held on to it for that long.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2017 - norsktorsk wrote: 90 Points
Cloudy on opening. Ripe plum. Not sure about the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2017 - grumi62 wrote: 86 Points
actually had my last bottle and it wasnt good. just like the first one, muddy waters after spending years in a wine refrigerator I really expected much better. Other williams selyem 2002 pinots have been great but this one is off ... twice. I will try other Flax from other years to see if they are muddy also.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2016 - grumi62 wrote: 88 Points
very average but drinkable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2013 - hanasowner wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Still dark in color with a nose that exploded with spice (cinnamon?), red fruit and perhaps even some baked apples. Really enjoyable and could probably last a bit longer, but no need to wait. Sadly my last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2013 - Buckwheet wrote: 93 Points
Wow! This wine is as close to a "pop and pour" pinot as I've ever experienced from W-S. And I have tried a BUNCH of them. Fruit is luscious right now with decent structure and good depth. Love this bottle of wine but doubt it will get any better. If you have some, I recommend consuming it now vs. later as it outstanding right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2013 - golfwine wrote: 93 Points
Not a varietally-typical example. On the contrary, the opaque deep ruby-garnet color resembles more a Dry Creek Zin; as do some of the aromatics. Even though, the hedonistic fruit is so impressionable and the wine, surprisingly balanced. Similar notes to my last, although the flavors were less caramel and more candied cherries this time; like a huge, macerated fist-full! Definitely an Extraordinary experience and so, has earned a place on my list of epiphany wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2011 - MicklethePickle wrote: 84 Points
Fairly dark, browning only slightly. Nice bottle bouquet in the nose. All secondary smells with cola and root beer the tell-tales signs of a Sonoma Pinot. Bit of spritz at the tip of the tongue, little fruit, more leathery, mushroomy components. Better drunk 2 or 3 years ago. 4-11-14-5: 84/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2011 - markcvino wrote: 90 Points
Initial nose of cherries soon gave way to a jammy nose with raisins on the palate. Not sure where this goes from here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2010 - MicklethePickle Does not like this wine: 73 Points
Color very evolved. Sweet-too sweet-fruit in the nose. More like jam than wine. Way too fat and ponderous, this has not aged well at all. There is no acid, no backbone, no balance whatsoever-just too much alcohol - not hot - and fruit. 4-7-9-3: 73/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2010 - golfwine wrote: 96 Points
Although a tad ripe and nowhere near perfectly-balance, this was truly an "Extraordinary" experience, and so my score (similar to the '01 Ramey Jericho Cyn). Intoxicating aromatics of melted butter & brown sugar (caramel?..no. butterscotch?..), candied cherries and bing cherry coulis. Fruit-forward and rich, with a flavor profile right in line with those alluring aromatics. So hedonistic, I just let it float in my mouth; reluctant to actually swallow it and end the bliss! A richness, I've never before experienced in a Pinot. That said, there was no mistaking this wine for anything other than a warm vintage Cali exemplar. No earth; no herbs; no terroir, so to speak. But, who cares! This was much more than a bottle of wine. Again, a truly singular experience. Ever since being introduced to this producer by their "#1 Fan", I've been pining to try this bottling. A fitting coincidence when he showed up with this '02, as one of a stellar lineup to pair with an equally stellar menu at Keller's ad Hoc, last night. Thanks J.E.T.!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2010 - jbro wrote: 83 Points
Nothing special--to my great disappointment. Well stored for 6 years and opened with considerable hope and expectation. Faded purple color fading further to the edges. Dull nose with nothing distinctive except minimal dark fruit and cola. Cloudy in the glass. Plenty of dull fruit on the palate, minimal acidity and no length to the finish. The RRV of the same year is superior and lower in cost. Consumed over two days,with no improvement overnight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2009 - 2loyal wrote: 90 Points
Not as compelling as the Allen or Rochioli versions, but still quite interesting and enjoyable. I kinda get where the "stewed" comments come from, and completely agree that this is drinking as well as it ever will right now, but I'd be happy to drink another tomorrow night!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2009 - Troon wrote: 89 Points
I tasted this with 3 other aged Pinots. I did prefer the 1997 William Selyem - Hirsch to this wine, but I did enjoy the William Selyem's over the Dehlinger Pinots. The WS were more balanced with peat and earth on the nose and a nice finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2009 - WetRock wrote:
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Middle Eastern Foods: Stewed nose that is mostly raisins. Big and ripe with some sweetness and a very weak finish. Pushed the limits here to no good end.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Persian Food Meets Pinot and Chard (The Murray Casa): My oldest WS from my cellar and a wine, like with the Beringer Sbragia chard, that I expected better from. Like with the Beringer, the WS fell flat. Some bramble and raisin, with dark color. One dimensional and a bit gooey with fig paste and jammy. Andy called it stewed. Disappointing and IMO, if you have this in your cellar, drink it now as it ain't going to get better from here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2008 - kleinahoe wrote: 93 Points
Balanced, muted, lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2008 - randomly wrote: 88 Points
Overall a nice bottle of wine, except for a distracting level of over-ripeness, bordering on raisiny, that is really disappointing and not at all what I've come to expect from WS. I hope this isn't a trend. Aside from that, med/light bodied, deeply colored, with mostly resolved tannins, and mostly plummy-type fruit profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2007 - spts1000 wrote: 93 Points
another great bottle of WS. the fruit is well integrated and the wine has plenty structure. this could last longer but it is drinking wonderfully now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2007 - Rob A wrote: 92 Points
Consumed at Carly's cooking school culmination dinner. No notes, but beautiful wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 91 Points
Classic RRV pinot. A nose of cola, black cherry, pomegranate, white flowers and hint of freshly mown grass. A pleasing round, fat mouthful of blackberry, caramel and a touch of loamy earth. Smooth, succulent finish. Compared to a bottle opened a few weeks ago this showed less citrusy acidity but also a little less detail. Swings and roundabouts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 91 Points
Impressive nose of blackberry, pomegranate, caramel, dark damp earth and a touch of freshly sawn redwood. Fat creamy mouthfeel with cassis, zesty cherry, vanilla and touch of licorice. The finish has good length, bright fruit but shows a tart, citrusy edge. Obviously a wine with considerable new oak but it carries it well. Will likely continue to improve for another with another 2-3 years, which will hopefully allow integration of the (augmented) acid.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2006 - kleinahoe wrote: 95 Points
Absolutley spectacular -- blackberry, some oak on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2006 - kleinahoe wrote: 91 Points
Very full and fruity, with some complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2005 - popebob wrote: 89 Points
Good color and nose, cherry overtones, it was very enjoyable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment