2008 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard
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Tasting notes
From a very well-known site, the 2008 Pinto Noir Hirsch Vineyard exhibits notes of red apple skin and tart currants, with medium body and zesty acids, and again, the acids are very pronounced for the amount of fruit. The wine certainly has the typical Williams-Selyem acidified style, but slightly less concentration than usual. This wine will benefit from another year or two of bottle age and should keep for 7-8 years. With thirteen separate Pinot Noirs, Williams-Selyem has something for just about everybody. Eight of these Pinot Noirs hail from relatively well-known sites in the Russian River and three come from the Sonoma Coast, while the two outliers are the Weir Vineyard from Yorkville Highlands and the Ferrington Vineyard from the Anderson Valley. Three well-regarded vineyards of the Sonoma Coast comprise part of this impressive Pinot Noir portfolio from Williams-Selyem. With eight Russian River bottlings, the two with the largest availability are the Eastside Road Neighbors and Westside Road Neighbors, which are blends from different fruit sources. The most underrated wines in the entire portfolio are the Zinfandels that come from winemaker Bob Cabrol. Tel. (707) 433-6425; Fax (707) 433-6546
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright ruby. A complex nose offers smoky dark berries, graphite, herbs, dried rose and rooty sassafras. Lush and invitingly sweet in the mouth, with flavors similar to the aromas. Broad and ripe but not at all heavy, with an intriguing element of dried herbs complementing the spicy blackberry and cherry flavors. Finishes with suave tannins and hints of exotic fruits. This gained freshness with aeration.
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.