Westside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir, Williams Selyem 2021 75cl

Westside Road Neighbors is Williams Selyem's homage to the great Pinot Noir vineyards clustered along Sonoma's Westside Road, blended into one exceptional bottling. The 2021 comes from a small, concentrated, near-perfect Californian vintage.

Williams Selyem is one of the founding names of Russian River Valley Pinot, a producer with a devoted following and a mailing list to match. This cuvée draws from neighbouring sites on the valley's most prized stretch of road, where cool fog and warm afternoons give Pinot both perfume and depth.

The 2021 shows a translucent ruby and a heady nose of ripe raspberry, black cherry and wild strawberry, layered with rose petal, baking spice, forest floor and a whisper of cola from careful oak. The palate is silky and mid-weight, with bright acidity, fine-grained tannins and a long, savoury finish that turns from red fruit to earth and spice. Elegant, complex and unmistakably Russian River.

At £159.99 this is collector-level California Pinot, and it drinks the part. Beautiful now with a short decant, it will develop gracefully over the next five to eight years.

How to Serve

Serve at 15-16°C in large Burgundy glasses. Decant 30-45 minutes to lift the aromatics.

Where to Drink It

Noble Rot for its Pinot-friendly list. Cornerstone for elegant seasonal cooking. Kitchen Table for a special tasting-menu evening.

Food Pairings

Wonderful with seared duck breast or roast salmon with herbs. Mushroom risotto flatters its earthy side.