| Region of production: | Russian River Valley AVA, Sonoma Coast AVA |
| Winery Location: | Healdsburg |
| Year Established: | 1981 |
Vineyard Holdings
- Drake Vineyard (13.75 ha): Located in the Middle Reach of Guerneville. Over 30 clones of Pinot Noir, but only Chardonnay is produced under the Williams Selyem label. Purchased in 1998.
- Lewis MacGregor Vineyard (13.1 ha): Purchased in 2014 and planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
- Vista Verde Vineyard (4.9 ha): Planted to Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, and Chenin Blanc at 700 to 1,000 feet above sea level. Labeled as San Benito County.
- Williams Selyem Vineyard (12.15 ha): Purchased in 2002.
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Olivet Lane Vineyard (Russian River Valley AVA)
- Terra de Promissio Vineyard (Sonoma Coast AVA): Inaugural vintage 2011.
- Westside Road Neighbors (Russian River Valley AVA): Blend of fruit sourced from Allen, Bacigalupi, Bucher, Flax, Rochioli’s Riverblock Vineyard, and the Williams Selyem estate vineyards.
Average Total Production
- 240,000 bottles
Summary
Ed Selyem and Burt Williams founded the winery after hobby vintages in 1979 and 1980 in a Forestville garage by Williams’s house. The first commercial vintage was vinified in 1981 under the Hacienda del Rio Winery label, so-called because of the nickname Burt had for his house. They changed the name to Williams Selyem in 1984 following a cease-and-desist letter from Hacienda Winery. The winery’s popularity rose immediately after it won the Sweepstakes Award in the 1987 California State Fair. One of California’s first waiting lists for wines followed soon after, and the 1991 Williams Selyem Summa Vineyard was the state’s first Pinot Noir to retail for $100. The founders only began working full-time for their label in 1992. The winery was sold to businessman John Dyson in 1998, who built a winery and hospitality center for the estate that opened in 2010.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Fermentations are started from a yeast strain Ed and Burt isolated from a Zinfandel fermentation and utilize up to 25% whole cluster. Wines are aged solely in François Frères barrels, approximately 50 to 75% new.
Producer Website: Williams Selyem