“The 2017 Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and a nose of Bing cherry, black cherry, cranberry and rhubarb with cinnamon stick, autumn leaves, potpourri, perfumed earth and dust hints. The light to medium-bodied palate is softly grainy and lifted by juicy acidity, with spiced, bright red fruits accented by new oak touches, finishing very long. 766 cases produced. Drink: 2022-2032. 93 points
California lost one of its great wine pioneers with the passing of Burt Williams in December 2019. The first commercial vintage of Williams Selyem was in 1981, and all these years later, it remains a benchmark for Pinot Noir in California. Williams influenced countless winemakers and was integral in shaping the wine landscape in California that we are fortunate to inherit today. We raise our glasses in your honor.”
“The 2017 Unoaked Chardonnay has a pretty, fresh nose with citrus blossom, tangerine, spring honey and stone fruit aromas. The palate is light-bodied with pure fruits in the mouth, tangy acidity and a long, floral finish. 755 cases were made. Drink: 2019-2023. 90 points”
“The 2017 Pinot Noir Weir Vineyard is beautifully lifted and precise, as wines from this appellation tend to be. Crushed flowers, crushed berries and mint add nuance as this high-toned, perfumed Pinot opens up in the glass. The Weir will appeal most to readers who appreciate delicacy in Pinot Noir. Drinking window: 2020-2032. 93 points
Williams Selyem generally releases their wines in two groupings, so I don’t often have an opportunity to taste them all together, as I did this year. I was deeply impressed. From top to bottom, the 2017s are absolutely delicious and also quite differentiated.”
“The 2019 Pintas is a field blend (over 40 grapes, but the dominant grapes are Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional) from old vines (around 90 years) aged for 20 months in 20% new French oak. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. What can you say about Pintas in all its glory? Big and expressive fruit is the first thing you’ll take note of. Yet the second thing changes the opinion on and character of this wine. It’s not even close to a fruit bomb. Its structure controls it, making it fresh, precise and lively, never jammy and ponderous. Then, it shows off some serious power. The winery’s style generally eschews astringency (except at times on the Port), but there’s certainly a fair bit of power on that finish. This is built to age and develop. It’s delicious but not one-dimensional. It isn’t even close to showing everything it has just now. While not completely unapproachable, it will show a lot better in a few years. It may not hit peak for 10. There were 5,900 bottles produced, plus some other size formats. Drink: 2023-2043. 97 points”
“The 2020 Pommard Les Vignots has a lively, minty bouquet that is well defined, quite floral with iris flowers emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, quite structured with a vibrant saline finish that lingers. This must be the I’dark horse” of Monnot’s range. Drinking window: 2024-2045. 91-93 points
Xavier Monnot told me, “I love this vintage” when I visited him in Meursault. He picked from August 20 and finished on August 29. I really admired his 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet En Remilly with its cheeky touch of Japanese shiso leaf on the finish. The reds were de-stemmed and quite opulent in style; the Pommard Les Vignots and Volnay Clos des Chênes are well worth seeking out. These wines are bottled under natural cork.”
