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This 100% Pinot Noir comes from Allen Vineyard and was aged for 16 months in 53% new French oak, 47% one-year-old barrels. Allen Vineyard, owned by Howard Allen, sits on gravelly hills along Westside Road and for decades provided fruit for Williams Selyem (and is where the Williams Selyem winery lived for most of its life until 2024). The wine is deeply layered, offering a beautifully expressive core of red fruit framed by warm spices and elegant cedarwood accents. Delicate, finely-tuned tannins add structure without heaviness, suggesting poise and potential longevity. With its balance of richness and restraint, this Pinot has the bones to age gracefully — best enjoyed beginning around 2027.

This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from Bucher Vineyard and was aged for 16 months in 63% new French oak and 37% one-year-old barrels. The original vines were planted in the early 1990s, and Jeff Mangahas began working with the fruit in the early 2000s (he also helped develop the vineyard, refining the spacing and selecting new clonal material). This bottling comes from heritage clones planted in 2011. The wine is built on rich raspberry fruit, loamy earth and an intense, exotic earthiness. There’s even a shiitake mushroom essence and a raw, underbrush, grassy-leather quality, all wrapped around deep berry concentration on the palate. Beautifully grippy intensity carries the finish, which resolves with an unctuous, delicious richness. The balance between primary fruit and deep earthy spice is exceptional.

This vineyard is one of the key components in the Eastside Road Neighbors bottling. This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from Calegari Vineyard and was aged for 16 months in 63% new French oak and 37% one-year-old barrels. The plant material here includes Dijon 115—which has thicker skins—as well as Swan and Mt. Eden heritage clones. The wine delivers explosive red-fruit character: cranberry, cherry and rose petals, all lifted by warm brown baking spices. Full-bodied richness is balanced by a vivid saline–citrus acid tension that frames this youthfully exuberant wine. That salty mineral edge comes directly from this gravelly site. The finish is highly expressive and super floral, anchoring the aromatics while showcasing great fruit depth on the palate. What a wine.

The Coastlands Vineyard is owned by Ross Cobb, and 2023 marks the final vintage that Williams Selyem will produce from this site. Aged for 16 months in 62% new French oak and 38% one-year-old barrels, the wine wine shows an incredible sous-bois character—local redwood, mineral-rich intensity, and all the wild forest nuance this coastal site is known for. Layers of pomegranate seed, bergamot, red fruit, grapefruit zest and zippy, zingy acidity unfold alongside a distinct sea-salt complexity. There’s a vibrant, refreshing acid spine and even a touch of blood-orange citrus. Dark-fruited, laser-focused and intense, this is a wine built for the long haul—one that will age for a very long time.

This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from Cohn Vineyard and was aged for 16 months in 58% new French oak and 42% one-year-old barrels. Cohn Vineyard sits off Westside Road, is owned by Benovia, and is one of the oldest Pinot Noir sites in the region—planted in 1970. Jeff Mangahas notes he isn’t entirely sure of the clonal mix, but he loves the texture the vineyard gives. The vines grow in gravelly, red decomposed soil with iron-rich deposits and are surrounded by redwoods—and all of that comes through vividly in the wine. This is a terroir-driven bottling with wonderful savory redwood-bark notes, gravelly minerality and beautifully lush, vibrant red-fruit character that carries through an extended mineral finish. What a wine.

The Eastside is sourced from the eastern stretch of the Russian River Valley, blending fruit from vineyard sites along Eastside Road: Calgari, Foss and the Lewis MacGregor Estate. These are mostly younger vines. The wine was aged for 15 months in 64% new French oak and 36% one-year-old barrels. Gorgeous, plush textures define this bottling, with a rich, creamy mid-palate weight, a floral personality and fabulous sagebrush and cedarwood notes. It’s sumptuous, with warm brown spices and a robust character shaped by the gravelly, well-drained soils. Dark plum, cassis and blackberry fruit saturate the palate. The texture is especially pronounced, building over beautifully integrated tannins that already feel seamless at this youthful stage.

This vineyard is one of the components of the Eastside Road Neighbors bottling. This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from Foss Vineyard and was aged for 16 months in 70% new French oak and 30% one-year-old barrels. The soils here are loamier and heavier, which naturally brings slightly lower acidity, and the plantings lean toward Pommard, Mt. Eden and Swan clones. The wine is unctuous and full-bodied, with a generous red-fruited profile and elegant cedarwood spice, plus a faint agave-like note. A refined cedar framework supports the fruit beautifully. The length is impressive, with real tension, energy and drive. Full-flavored, and lush, yet also lifted and vibrant.

100% Pinot Noir, sourced from Hirsch Vineyard, and aged for 16 months in 43% new French oak and 57% one-year-old barrels, this red utilizes fruit from a handful of clones—including Pommard, Mt. Eden and Clone 114— from older vines on the East Ridge. Jeff Mangahas notes that you really have to coax the aromatics out of this wine, because there’s a strong maritime-saline influence that comes through—subtle red-berry tones layered with deep forest notes. The attack is driven by beautifully fine tannins balanced by a succulent mid-palate fruit weight. Those tannins linger with a crushed-mineral, crushed-rock and apple-skin character.

This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from the Lewis MacGregor Estate Vineyard (one of the components of the Eastside Road Neighbors bottling) and was aged for 16 months in 62% new French oak and 38% one-year-old barrels. The site is named after John Dyson’s grandfather, who first inspired his interest in agriculture, and was originally owned by Eric Flannigan before Dyson purchased it in 2014 (and replanted much of the Chardonnay to Pinot Noir, while retaining the older vines that now contribute to this bottling). Plant material is roughly two-thirds Pommard and one-third Swan, yielding tiny berries. The wine opens with mulberry fruit and warm brown baking spices, and it carries a distinctive oily texture that comes from the “hens and chicks” clusters—berries with fewer seeds—that this site often produces. Full-flavored and lengthy, it offers remarkable generosity and depth. So flavor-packed and rich.

Winemaker Jeff Mangahas explains that this site (the Martaella Vineyard) is planted largely to heritage Pinot clones—selections that originated in Burgundy and have since acclimated beautifully to California conditions. Clones such as Calera (rumored to trace back to Chambertin), Pommard and Martini all play a role here, offering a snapshot of how these historic selections perform on the Santa Rosa Plain, almost squarely in the centre of the northern Russian River Valley. Aged for 15 months in 53% new French oak and 47% one-year-old barrels, the wine is incredibly bold aromatically, showing ultra-fragrant apple-skin notes and perfumed florals. The tannins are remarkably refined—polished, elegant, and giving the wine a buoyant sense of lift. 2022 was the first year Williams Selyem produced a vineyard-designate Pinot Noir from this site.

Olivet Lane is one of the most historic vineyards in the Santa Rosa Plains area, located near Martaella and planted in 1974 on AXR1 rootstock to the Martini Heritage clone—a thick-skinned, pulpy Pinot Noir selection. The wine shows remarkable savory complexity: new-boot leather mingles with mulberry fruit, turned earth and ironstone minerality. Aged for 15 months in 65% new French oak and 35% one-year-old barrels, it has excellent mid-weight concentration, carried by featherweight tannins that seem to lift the wine rather than weigh it down. The mid-palate is expansive, yet the finish tightens with precision, length and elegance. Totally balanced. In a word: delicious.

This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from Precious Mountain Vineyard and was aged for 16 months in 67% new French oak and 33% one-year-old barrels. Jeff Mangahas notes that Williams Selyem has been making this wine since the late 1990s. The vineyard sits near Hirsch, and includes some of the oldest vines in the area, with plantings going back to 1971. It was originally planted to Alsatian varieties, and today it remains completely dry farmed. That dry farming coaxes out the wild side of Pinot Noir, giving this wine a rich underbrush character—super intense—with notes of leather, ironstone earth, blueberry compote, fresh blueberry fruit and fig paste. The tannins are the most robust of their entire lineup. Full-bodied and full-flavored, it shows incredibly deep, fleshy fruit, yet the wine still feels fresh, vibrant and totally intense.

Sourced from Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard, a site that sits along the riverbank, sourced from a 1989 planting established using budwood from a 1960s block. The vines grow in silty, well-drained soils, and the aromas are wonderfully intriguing—wild herbs, live oak, and the wild fennel that grows along the Russian River. On the palate, the wine is succulent, showing mulberry and raspberry fruit with palate-coating tannins that are refined and elegant yet still robust. It’s highly aromatic, fresh and inviting, and the wine feels like the pure culmination of what this site naturally expresses—both aromatically and in flavor. Aged for 16 months in 68% new French oak and 32% one-year-old barrels.

This is the first wine to reach for if you’ve never tasted Williams Selyem before. Winemaker Jeff Mangahas often notes that the texture of this entry-level bottling telegraphs the character of the entire portfolio—how it coats the palate and how their winemaking approach intentionally builds those layers. The texture is truly all-encompassing here, as the medium-bodied wine spreads across the palate with vibrant red berry fruit, hints of tangerine peel, warm Indian spice, rich earthy tones, and beautifully integrated cedarwood accents. Just gorgeous. This 100% Pinot Noir is a blend of fruit from Drake Estate, Hallberg, Laguna, Martaella, Rochioli Riverblock, Saitone Estate and the Williams Selyem Estate, aged for 11 months in 41% new French oak and 59% one-year-old barrels.

The Sonoma Coast bottling is bright, crunchy and elegant, with more impactful tannins than even the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir—which has its own impressive textural range. This wine is fresh, inviting and dark-fruited, showing rich conifer and redwood-bark notes, with layers of texture built on a velvety core and grippy apple-skin tannins. Gorgeous cedarwood aromatics mingle with sage, wet stone, clove and citrus zest. A blend of 100% Pinot Noir fruit from Falstaff, Putnam, Starkey and Terra de Promissio, aged for 11 months in 42% new French oak and 58% one-year-old barrels.

Sourced from Terra de Promissio Vineyard, which sits in the Petaluma Wind Gap, planted in 2002 to Dijon clones 115 and 777, along with Swan and Calera. Aged for 16 months in 67% new French oak and 33% one-year-old barrels, this 100% Pinot Noir is gorgeously perfumed, showing violet and blueberry coulis aromas with the wonderful natural crispness that defines this cool, windy corridor. Clove spice and wet slate add complexity, and the grippy tannin texture brings depth, energy and a sumptuous layering to the wine’s tension-filled profile. It captures this part of the world in a beautifully articulate way.

The Westside bottling is sourced from the western corridor of the Russian River Valley. This 100% Pinot Noir is a blend of fruit from vineyard sites along Westside Road: Allen, Bacigalupi, Bucher, Flax, Rochioli Riverblock, Riversmoke and the Williams Selyem Estate. It was aged for 15 months in 60% new French oak and 40% one-year-old barrels. Talk about texture; this wine builds beautifully in the glass with red and mixed-berry fruit, cherry-pie notes and elegant cedarwood character. Cocoa-powder tannins rise effortlessly through layers of intense mineral tension, crunchy ripe fruit, hints of tangerine oil, and a vibrant acidity that keeps everything crisp, taut and balanced.

This vineyard contributes to the Westside Road Neighbors blend. Planted in 2002, it shares a similar exposure to Allen Vineyard but sits on soils with more loam and streaks of red volcanic clay. As a result, this wine carries a bit more flesh on the mid-palate compared to the Allen Vineyard bottling—full of dark, fleshy red cherry fruit, blackberry and warm brown baking spices, accented by tangerine peel and beautifully elegant cedarwood aromatics. Aged for 16 months in 69% new French oak and 31% one-year-old barrels, the wine is incredibly sophisticated, delicious, and long-lived, showing great wet-slate minerality and cocoa-powder tannins that have both weight and superb texture.

The La Valentía 100% Grenache, sourced from Bounty Harvest Vineyard in Gaines County, sits just outside the Texas High Plains AVA but benefits from its high-altitude terroir at 3,500 feet. Grown in sandy loam and caliche (limestone) soils, the wine undergoes a 5-day cold soak in stainless steel with gentle pumpovers before aging for 12 months in neutral French oak with bâtonnage. This Grenache shows ripe, pure red berry fruit complemented by brown baking spice notes. Medium-bodied, it is framed by firm, grippy tannins with a chocolaty edge, leading to a finish highlighted by blood orange acidity and a distinctively salty, crushed granite minerality.

The Fire Oak Vineyard, located in Mills County just north of the Texas Hill Country border, produces this blend of 55% Carignan and 45% Mourvèdre, which is brimming with bright red-toned fruits and a savory baking spice character. Medium-bodied, the wine offers mocha-rich, fine-grained tannins that provide structure, with candied red berry fruit carrying through to a rich, satisfying finish. A well-rounded and flavorful expression of these two varieties.

This Cabernet from Alisa Jacobson, known around the Santa Ynez Valley as ‘AJ’, is sourced from her top sites in Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez Valley, with a splash of Santa Ynez Valley Merlot. Medium to full bodied and well balanced, it offers juicy, ripe red and black fruit layered with sweet baking spices. Plush tannins frame the palate, leading to a pleasing finish accented by sagebrush and crushed cocoa nibs. Aged primarily in neutral French oak (10% new).

The Wood Family Vineyards 2023 Cabernet Franc was aged for 18 months in 28% new French oak barrels. A touch more refined than the 2022 vintage, it shows focused purity of black currant and black cherry fruit, with fine tobacco nuances and elegant cedarwood accents, complemented by rose petal aromatics. The tannins are soft, velvety, and supple, framing a juicy core with seductive black currant jelly, cigar box notes, white pepper, a hint of cardamom, and a touch of crushed clove. A truly marvelous Cabernet Franc from the Livermore Valley.

Sourced entirely from the winery’s One Oak estate property, which surrounds the Wood family home, this wine is crafted from vines planted in 2019. Fermentations take place in open-top bins, followed by 18 months of aging in 25% new French oak. The wine opens with alluring aromatics of bright red berry fruit, savory mineral notes, and dusty wild herbs. On the palate, juicy berry fruit is framed by pronounced, broad-shouldered tannins with a rounded, velvety texture that’s beautifully integrated. Layers of baking spice and rose petal florals add further dimension. A compelling and structured young wine—definitely one to watch.

This 100% Chardonnay was barrel fermented in 32% new French oak and aged for 9 months with biweekly lees stirring. Bold and expressive, it offers layers of pineapple, lemon oil, tangerine zest, and honeycomb. Full-bodied on the palate, with mouthwatering grip and tension, it builds to a long, spice-laced finish accented by baking spice and vibrant acidity.

Made by Eran Goldwasser (who was trained in Australia) from grapes sourced in the south Judea region at 2,500 feet, this red is long, minty, and mineral. It has deep, focused black fruit action throughout. A serious—and seriously good—effort. – J.R.

This 100% Petit Verdot Rosé from Sakura Vineyard and Winery was fermented and aged in stainless steel. It’s a super salty, red-berry–fruited, floral-scented, and savory-spiced rosé with real verve and tenacity. As focused and southern-French in style as they come in the New World, it might just be the most food-friendly rosé in all of Livermore Valley.
(Barrel Sample) Incredibly polished with power, energy, and tension, this blend of 70% Monteuplicano, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Sangiovese offers gorgeously pure red fruits laced with vanilla and tobacco spice notes. Medium-bodied with polished tannins that are already poised for foundational success, it shows great promise. This is going to be a killer wine when it’s finally released, and I can’t wait to re-taste it. There’s been a dynamic shift—a watershed moment—in the production of these wines since Napa-based consultant Jean Hoefliger began consulting with Uplift Vineyard in 2022. The transformation is evident, and this wine is a testament to that evolution, promising an exciting future for these wines.

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Super floral-driven, with ultra-ripe cherry fruit, blackberry, and lavender nuances, this wine is plump, soft, and satiny on the palate, showing creamy oak undertones and a hint of smoky minerality. For all its depth and generosity, a thread of juicy acidity keeps it balanced and lively. Sourced from a remarkable vineyard in the prestigious Santa Lucia Highlands appellation of Monterey County, the fruit comes from a bench approximately 300 feet above the valley floor. The wine was 100% destemmed and fermented in one-ton fermenters with daily punch-downs, then barrel-aged for 10 months in French oak.

Banana, white peach, pear, white flowers, and fragrant cedar wood lead the way in this balanced, medium-bodied Chardonnay, with the same fruit and cedar spice carrying through on the palate. It’s a pleasantly coaxing wine with a graceful mix of richness and lift. The Starr Ridge Vineyard is planted to the Montrachet selection (clone) of Chardonnay, prized for producing high-quality wines from its low-yielding grapes. The wine was whole-cluster pressed and barrel-fermented with native yeast, then aged for 13 months in French oak (30% new).
Fermented in stainless steel and bottled just a few months later, this vibrant white wine is crafted by winemaker Brent Amos, with assistant winemaker Aaron Andrews (who began his journey as a busboy and worked his way up through the cellar). Bright and laser-focused, it shows crisp citrus character with notes of orange oil, sea spray minerality, and white floral aromatics woven throughout.
This is the Reserve bottling from the second pick of Verdelho grapes in 2023, crafted decisively in a Chardonnay style. Fermented in 100% new French oak with full malolactic conversion, it was aged for just a few months in barrel prior to bottling. Texturally, it’s broader and rounder than the Estate Reserve Verdelho—which is more bracing—yet this version remains vibrant and dynamic. Orchard fruit mingles with umami-rich notes of Parmesan rind and expressive baking spices. While richer, it’s by no means flabby; bright, focused acid tension keeps the wine fresh and balanced.
This second pick Verdelho was aged entirely in stainless steel and bottled just a few months later. Stylistically in line with the first-pick White Label, this bottling offers a touch more generosity on the palate. The mouthfeel is plumper and more supple, with silky orchard fruit layered with nuances of almonds and dried florals. A slightly rounder, more textural expression—while still retaining freshness and focus.
Assistant winemaker Aaron Andrews explains that in 2023, they approached Verdelho with a series of staggered picks and multiple fermentations using different yeasts. From just one block, they might run up to eight separate fermentations—later blending them to bottle. But in 2023, winemaker Brent Amos says each lot stood out so distinctly that they decided to bottle four different Verdelhos—a rare move for the portfolio. This bottling represents the Reserve expression of the first pick from the estate. Fermented in neutral barrels with no malolactic fermentation, it opens with notes of quince and white peach, alongside wild herb aromatics. On the palate, crisp, crunchy acid tension embraces a succulent, weighty mid-palate with silky textures. The wine shows excellent length and precision, with striking tension throughout.
A wine “Best in Show White” winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, this Verdelho is sourced from the first pick, fermented in stainless steel, and aged just a few months before bottling. Bright and laser-focused, it delivers citrus and orchard fruit layered with white flowers, and warmer undertones of straw and prairie grass. On the palate, it’s bracing and tightly wound, with nervy, electric acidity and a chalky mineral finish.
This estate-grown rosé, made from Merlot, is a distinctive and textural wine with a creamy mid-palate and savory undertones of rose stem and cherry fruit. Smoky minerality threads through a core of crunchy, juicy white plums, accented by a lift of white pepper spice on the lengthy finish. A serious rosé, well-suited to pairing with heartier summer dishes.
Aged entirely in stainless steel, this is a crisp, lemon-driven white with aromas of yellow apple and white flowers. On the palate, it’s bright, zippy, and zesty, with lemon oil and a steely mineral intensity that lingers through the finish. A subtle kiss of vivid dried wild herbs—so emblematic of the area during peak growing season—adds regional character and complexity.
This expressive and beautifully layered Pinot Noir from the Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills offers a compelling blend of red cherry fruit, agave, violet, and rose stem aromatics. Notes of espresso bean and cherry-rhubarb pie lend richness and warmth, while muscular tannins and cedarwood tones, tinged with incense, provide structure and depth. Spice notes unfold seamlessly across the palate, adding complexity and intrigue. A wonderfully zesty and multidimensional expression from Lincourt.

The ‘Four’ Pinot Noir is a barrel selection comprised in equal parts from Fiddlestix, Pali, Spear, and Radian vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel and aged up to 18 months in a mix of mostly neutral and approximately 25% new French oak, with 15% whole cluster inclusion, this wine offers exceptional complexity and balance. It captures the darker fruit power and tension of Radian, the vivid raspberry brightness of Fiddlestix, the plush texture and softness from Pali, and the spice-driven nuance of Spear. Aromatically expressive, it delivers coriander, incense, and cedarwood wrapped around a medium-bodied palate of pure dark fruit. Sinewy, fine-grained tannins give structure and persistence.

The Golden Slope Chardonnay—sourced from Rita’s Crown, Hilltop, Clos Pepe, Spear, and Kessler-Haak—is native fermented and aged up to 16 months in mostly puncheons, with about 15% new French oak. Founder Jeff Nelson notes that the barrel program plays a vital role in leveraging the muscularity of their whites, particularly in this bottling. The 2023 vintage is among the most focused expressions of Golden Slope in recent memory. It’s as gorgeously layered and fragrant as ever, bursting with lemon and lime zest, apricot, and tangerine oil, framed by supple, juicy fruit and laser-focused saline-acid tension. The finish is long, detailed, and expressive, with crushed Marcona almonds and a hint of honeycomb richness.
This 100% Pinot Noir “SBC” cuvée (first released in 2015) blends fruit from Fiddlestix, Spear, Pali, La Rinconada, and Radian vineyards. Fermented in open-top stainless steel with punchdowns, the wine is then aged up to 11 months in neutral French oak with about 10% new oak and 10–15% whole cluster inclusion. The result is absolutely gorgeous: vivid ruby red fruit, grapefruit zest, rhubarb, rose petal, and espresso bean aromas lead into a medium-bodied palate of luscious cherry fruit and velvet-textured tannins. Focused and linear, with crunchy acidity that lifts the finish and keeps things fresh and energetic.

The 2023 White Hill Chardonnay—named in homage to Chablis and the diatomaceous soils of the Sta. Rita Hills—is native fermented and aged for 11 months in a mix of neutral barrels and large-format French barriques (with zero new oak). It showcases exceptional depth and drive thanks to the long, cool growing season. Fruit is sourced from some of the AVA’s most iconic sites: Hilltop, Kessler-Haak, Clos Pepe, Spear, and Rita’s Crown. Lemon peel, white apricot, and honeycomb lead the aromatic charge, while the palate is etched with crackling saline-mineral tension. There’s serious mid-palate density, but also thrilling lift—bright lemon-lime acidity, layered white floral notes, and a mouthwatering brininess that lingers through the long, linear finish. It’s one of the most complete and textural White Hill releases to date.
The Llano Estacado Fumé Blanc, a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc from the Texas High Plains, strikes a balance between richness and precision. Barrel aging imparts a touch of depth, while the wine remains focused and linear. Pressed white floral notes, subtle baking spice character, and hints of Texas prairie grass define the profile. The bone-dry finish underscores its elegance.
Produced by Jason Centanni, this rosé is a delicate blend of 91% Cinsault and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. Extremely light and almost ethereal, it offers a refreshing and easy-to-drink profile. A saline thread of minerality runs through the wine, bolstered by bracing acidity and subtle red-toned fruit notes. Vibrant, understated, and captivating.

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