2003 Williams Selyem Gewürztraminer Vista Verde Vineyard Late Harvest
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Tasting notes
(for 375 ml.; 13% residual sugar and 10.3% alcohol) Deep gold. Classic gewurz bouquet of rose, peach and smoke, with an exotic overlay of baking spices. Sweet and round, with concentrated pit fruit and melon flavors showing impressive energy and focus. Finishes on a spicy note, with excellent depth but no undue weight. I like the absence of cloying notes here and would love to serve this with funky or blue cheeses.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(for 375 ml.; 100% barrel-fermented) Pale yellow-gold color. Perfumed aromas of lichee, rose water, ginger and quince. Superconcentrated and very intense, with flavors of ginger, flowers, spices and caramel lifted by lively acidity (ten grams per liter, including some added malic acid). Really gets the salivary glands working. This wine should soften in the bottle, but I'd still recommend consuming it over the next two or three years. Features 10.8% alcohol and 16% residual sugar, with about 20% botrytized berries.
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.