Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Williams Selyem – Pinot Noir – 2023
Drake Estate Vineyard – Russian River Valley – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A beautifully refined and expressive Pinot Noir sourced from the renowned Drake Estate Vineyard, one of the crown jewels of the Russian River Valley. The 2023 vintage highlights Williams Selyem’s signature delicacy and precision: pure fruit, lifted aromatics, and a seamless texture that defines top-tier RRV Pinot.

Aromas & Flavors
Red cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry accented by rose petal, orange zest, and light baking spice. Subtle forest floor, tea leaf, and vanilla whisper in the background. Elegant, layered, and aromatically captivating.

Mouthfeel
Silky, smooth, and wonderfully balanced. Medium-bodied with bright natural acidity, fine tannins, and a graceful, mouthwatering finish. A perfect interplay of delicacy and depth.

Food Pairings
Duck breast, truffle risotto, cedar-plank salmon, roasted mushrooms, or creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert.

Verdict
A lovely masterpiece from Drake Estate Vineyard, delicate, smooth, and utterly delicious. This is quintessential Russian River Valley Pinot at its most graceful and refined. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Drake Estate Vineyard sits along the Russian River’s cooling corridor, where fog rolls in daily. This extended hang time allows for exceptional fruit purity and aromatic intensity, one reason it’s one of Williams Selyem’s most prized vineyard sources. — 9 months ago

Jordi Pazo

9.4

Vila. Cata Palo Cortado: El Vino más allá del Misterio. 29,95
08.10.18 — 8 years ago

John Landis

9.0

Deep red opaque color with intense red cherries in the nose. On entry huge flavors of Zinfandel but slightly over the top with alcohol. Huge finish marred by >15% alcohol. Lovely aromas and flavors in the mouth despite the off putting alcohol. — 8 years ago

Ryo Hayashi

9.6

Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard Pinot Noir - Vintage 2000
熟成感と香りが別格！後味のタンニンが気になったが開くと柔らかくなって行くので問題なし。 — 9 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.1

Purple and cloudy in the glass. Sweet nose of strawberry and ripe fruit. Nice acidity and structure. — 10 years ago

Matt Duncan

9.5

Splendid fruit, cracked pepper tannin. — 11 years ago

John Ponzo

9.0

Longer it breathes the better it gets — 11 years ago

Julia Eklund

9.6

My favorite california Chardonnay. Very balanced between the oak, tropical fruit and good acidity. 14.8 percent alcohol. Really round, full and smooth. Could use some aging. — 11 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

8.9

Baked Apple, butterscotch, baking spices and a little warm and finish. Ready now. — 12 years ago

Ray Isle

Executive Wine Editor Food & Wine Magazine

9.5

Drinking very well right now. Honeysuckle, lemon curd, pear-caramel. — 13 years ago

Scott E. Becker

9.2

[Tasted on October 25, 2025 with Tom and Kathy at their house]

Raspberry and dark cherry fruit, with black tea and mineral notes. Beautiful wine with nice acidity. — 10 months ago

Nicole Polanco

10

Had the 2018 with Kristen and Al, super good light Pinot — 4 years ago

Mike Casalenuovo

8.9

Anniversary champagne! — 8 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.2

Bright pink, pale cheer red and bursting with red berries, rose petals, framed in a dry, elegance and lasting finish. Not to be missed! — 8 years ago

with Adrienne

Lyn Cuevas

9.3

Fabulous zin! Perfectly balanced all around! This particular allocation is always the first to sell out! Need I say more? — 9 years ago

Rick Baumgarten

9.2

Fine choice for the varied tastes of Thanksgiving dinner. — 11 years ago

Michael Spinella

9.6

Paired perfectly with our salad of lettuce, figs, nectarine,and feta. — 11 years ago

Peter Godoff

9.6

So good now after some aging — 11 years ago

Dave O'Brien

10

Best. Sherry. Ever. — 12 years ago

with Steven

Michael Mendes

9.7

Fantastic. — 13 years ago

Craig Becraft

9.2

Nicely texture, dark fruit, smooth tannins , light acidity, but not sappy still bright garnet red — 10 months ago

Steve Mitchell

9.3

Perfect wine to pair with our grilled salmon and salad. — 10 months ago

Kevin Bohlin

9.2

Initially quite closed showing balance but not much more than the Williams Selyem style acidity in citrus profile but on day three it opened to a really elegant wine with cherry, blood orange, and black tea while being soft and round. Needs a few years to really sing, this is a great vineyard — 8 years ago

Perrin Drumm

9.1

Probably the best natural white I've had: a little funky but still super drinkable, nice skin contact and all that, too. — 9 years ago

Nathaniel DiMaggio

9.1

Started green and opened up beautifully! — 10 years ago

with Stacey, Todd and 1 other

Justin Ennis

9.4

Killer........ — 11 years ago

Julia Eklund

9.5

Aged very nicely. Lemon cookies and butterscotch. 14.7 alcohol but you would never know it. Nice acidity — 11 years ago

M. Ventre

9.2

This is has definitely come together more since November. — 11 years ago

Mike Betts

10

Cheap and unbelievably good ! — 12 years ago

Joanna Wells

Assistant Winemaker Kutch Wines

9.3

Youthful, pure red fruit. Simplistic, but satisfying. Hazy in the glass. — 13 years ago