2009 Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir [WE97][JS94][V94][CG92]

Producer: Williams Selyem Winery  
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California 
Varietal: Pinot Noir  
Year: 2009 

Wine Enthusiast, 97 Points 

"A drop-dead gorgeous Pinot Noir that will satisfy everyone from Burgundy fans to diehard Cabernet cultists. Show an elegant complexity and silky texture that define great California Pinot Noir, yet with a powerful impact that emphasizes raspberries, cherries and blueberries. *Cellar Selection*" 

James Suckling, 94 Points 

"Dried fruit such as strawberries and black cherries with hints of flowers and meat. Full body, with juicy tannins and a foie gras, meat, berry and spice character. Rich and intense. A vibrant acidity really gives it energy." 

Vinous, 94 Points 

"Good full red. An element of musky reduction to the aromas of plum, raspberry and smoked meat. Wonderfully plush and mouthfilling, with its red fruit flavors complicated by dried flowers, straw, spices and herbal tones. Nicely balanced, highly nuanced wine with no rough edges. The longest of these wines to this point, finishing with perfectly integrated tannins. Rounding into form now but evolving very slowly. Winemaker Jeff Mangahas noted that many '09 Pinots from the Sonoma Coast "are a bit too grippy and backward to taste now," but this wine is seamless. The crop load was lower than average in '09 due to cooler temperatures at flowering." 

Connoisseurs Guide, 92 Points 

"Marked by subtle accents of cream and cola with an intimation of flowers in its deep and lively young nose, the Allen Vineyard version is a silky smooth Pinot once in the mouth whose fruity richness comes with a slightly lighter touch. It displays a long and insistent sense of the pure fruit that is part and parcel of the appellation's best efforts, and, while it is seductive right now, it is a finely balanced bottling whose acidy spark assures a few years of growth." 

Alcohol: 13.7% 

*Discounts do not apply to items like this one in the Fine & Rare category. Price and availability in store may vary.