The 88 Insignia out of Magnum.
On the nose, shy blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, creamy strawberries, black plum, notes of blue fruits, sweet vanillin soft volcanic minerals, red & blue florals with violets.
The body is leaner medium. Tannins are completely resolved. Pure pruny fruit elegance with bright red floral bouquet. Blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, creamy strawberries, black plum, rhubarb with notes of blue fruits, sweet vanillin fine powdery, old shoe leather, dry brush, volcanic minerals, red & blue florals with violets. Nice acidity and finish but, this wine was better served 3-5 years ago. — 7 years ago
Crisp and refreshing with notes of strawberry and rhubarb. Not too sweet or too tart — 8 years ago
Yes!!! Savory earth and rhubarb tinged...yet ripe. Beautiful. — 9 years ago
Bright aromas of sour red cherries, rhubarb, earthy spice and some savorury/stalky herbal qualities. Both and weight both immaculate. Supple, fluid, intense and great length. Drinking well now with develop just stating to peek through the primary fruits. Still has time. — 9 years ago
Nose of rhubarb and bright red fruits. Solid structure. Bright red fruits and a solid but balanced structure, Classic Sonoma IPOB style Pinot. Nice. — 10 years ago
Fun fresh vibrant. Rhubarb, cranberry, sour cherry. — 10 years ago
A touch of red fruit still on the nose. Baked rhubarb, cherry compote, dusty, cedar, faint cumin, damp forest floor, and Sherry/nutty notes. In the palette still tangy acid that brings a vibrancy and tension to a juicy lean body. Most of the structure from acid, but finishing tannins provide a little drying to the mouth. Captivating, interesting and delicious. — 11 years ago
I’ve had a a fair amount of older Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs, this one is the most different. It seems more extracted and darker than the bright; cherries, strawberries & pomegranate Pinots from them that we’ve had a run on over several years.
The noses reveals, deep, dark, ripe; currants, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries with hints of blue fruit. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity, sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and just a hint of violets.
The body is medium full. It has gorgeous mouthfeel. There are still round, softened, teethe & tarry tannins here. Tannins were in the bottle neck which, is not always traditional even in older Pinot’s. The structure, tension, length and balance are really nice with another three to five years of good drinking ahead. It’s right around its peak. Perhaps, just the other side of the bell curve. Dark, ripe; currants/cassis, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries, cooked rhubarb, raisins with more blue fruit showing vs. the nose. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, light nutmeg, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and violets beaming on the finish. The acidity is excellent. The long finish is; ruby, ripe, elegant, gorgeous, extremely well balanced and persists on the palate with warm, dark spice.
IMHO, Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs do not score well early and really shine at 10 years plus in many vintages. They are a Sonoma Pinot pioneer and a gold standard comparison for other producers and Pinot lovers to take note.
Photos of; Williams Selyem winery, Sofia’s great handy work with flowers and one of our two raised garden boxes. 💐 🌸 🌺 🌹🌼🥀 🌽 🥒🥬 🍅
Happy Memorial Day weekend all! Hope you are grilling & enjoying some of your favorite wines. — 6 years ago
Prototypical TRB Pinot. Citrus, forest floor, rhubarb. Great QPR. — 7 years ago
Smell like rhubarb and strawberry. Bright fruitiness of Beaujolais but has a raw undercurrent. Medium acid, velvety tannins, sheer drinkability. — 8 years ago
Huge and ripe for a Beaujolais, with jammy cherry fruit and some rhubarb tartness with a slight hint of animal musk and pink peppercorn. Complex and deep but still juicy with great structure. Mmm. — 9 years ago
This wine is aging so nicely rhubarb pie dried strawberries Christmas spice super pretty — 9 years ago
Fantastic wine from my favorite winery. Definitely not the sweetest wine, as it has a touch of bitterness to it - but it certainly blends well for an excellent flavor that goes well with food or on its own. You definitely can't go wrong with the Mallow Run Rhubarb, even if you prefer drier wines. — 10 years ago
Light and beautiful, peppered strawberry rhubarb, bright and slight effervescence. — 10 years ago
Louis XIV knew what was up... This rosé has great strawberry, rhubarb and a twinge of orange peel with great acid to round it off to an elegant, round finishThis AOC sets the bar for what I expect in a rosé. — 10 years ago
Strawberry compote, roasted beets, truffle oil fill the nose. Plum and rhubarb pop on the palate with graceful tannins. Delicate and refined will probably last at least another 5 years in the bottle. — 11 years ago
Reddish tawny color. Vibrant in the glass. Direct nose with notes of raspberries, rhubarb, asian spice and moist black soil. At first, more structure than fruit. But with 6+ hours of air a sweetness develops and softens the harsher notes, making this more voluptuous. Was singing loudly at the end of the shindig! — 7 years ago
Incredibly complex on the nose with toasted brioche, dried cranberries, cherries, rhubarb, candied ginger, sesame seed oil, and chalk dust. Frothy mousse with small concentrated bubbles that caress the palate and seem to make this wine lithe and airy, mouth drying chalkiness with hints of tart red fruit flavors, toasted brioche, and a long lasting finish filled with exotic oriental spices. — 7 years ago
Dark cherry nose. Heavier in the mouth than your average Pinot with more dark cherry, rhubarb pie, and moderating darker merlot notes. Chewy tannins and long acid in the finish. This is a substantial 100% Pinot with nice balance from start to finish. — 8 years ago
Not as opulent as some Central Otago Pinots. This is from Martinborough. James Halliday who has had more Burgundies than most of us called this the "Pommard of New Zealand"! Notes of spice and rhubarb with excellent length. A top quality Pinot. Not cheap at $100+. — 9 years ago
This is very fine, especially considering the cool 2011 vintage. Strawberry, rhubarb and other red fruits. Smooth, but with sufficient structure to keep it interesting. A great effort. — 9 years ago
A bit tart at first but opened up very nicely, especially with food. Agree with others about the rhubarb notes. — 10 years ago
So yummy. Went perfect with our turkey. — 10 years ago
Perfumey, almost hair care chemical nose. Dry with rhubarb notes on the palate. — 10 years ago
William Feinstein
Smoked meats, rhubarb and a little funk on the prominent nose. Jammy purple fruits are balanced against an integrated tannic backbone with a spicy, peppery finish. Some may think it overripe but it is a great Zin in my book. — 6 years ago