| 1997 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Coastlands Vineyard Sonoma Coast, California WB Rating: 80 Alcohol by volume: 15.2% Price at time of purchase: $160.00 (gift) Type: Pinot Noir / Burgundy Principal varietal(s): Pinot Noir This ultra-luxury Pinot Noir was a tremendous disappointment given the reputation of Williams Selyem. Possibly a bad bottle or the result of poor storage, this was a heartbreaker considering we'll probably never taste one of these wines again. The initial aromatics were promising, with a heavy-duty mix of wet earth, cassis, and dark berries dominating, though only a distant hint of the fruit/floral notes we find in our favorite Pinots. (In fact, we would not necessarily have identified this as a Pinot Noir in a blind tasting.) In the mouth the wine seemed out of sorts compared to the nose, high in acid and tannin, with a shrill, clipped finish -- like many over-the-hill Burgundies we've tried. Fortunately we didn't pay the going price for this one! (Price approximate, based on a recently seen published auction price.) - WB team 2003-12-19 [Back] |
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