A Note From Jeff Mangahas, VP/Director of Winemaking

The Spring Release marks the close of another harvest and the beginning of a new year in the cellar. With the 2025 wines safely through malolactic fermentation and the final 2024 vineyard-designated bottlings underway, we turn our attention to the appellation wines. Bottled prior to harvest and quietly resting, they are ready to make their debut.

Spring traditionally highlights our blended AVA wines, which express distinct coastal terroirs shaped by soil, microclimate, and diurnal temperature. Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Anderson Valley each imprint its own signature on Pinot Noir, yielding different fruit profiles, structures, and textures.

Russian River Valley enjoys a moderate growing season with lower elevations and ideal flowering conditions. Its even ripening lends polish to tannins and a red-fruited profile, with neighborhood nuances driven by soil and fog. Our bottling draws from the diversity of the AVA to offer a panoramic view of the region.

The Sonoma Coast is rugged and exposed, with later budbreak, extended bloom periods, and shallow, well-drained soils. These factors contribute to more complex tannin structures and darker, savory-leaning fruit, often with dried herb notes reminiscent of the coastal hillsides.

Anderson Valley bridges the two. Warm days and cold nights extend hang time, develop acidity, and create layered tannins. Fruit spans red to black with touches of blue, accompanied by the distinctive herbal lift associated with the wild pennyroyal that grows in the deep end of the Valley.

Westside Road Neighbors is our “super blend” of five exceptional vineyard sites: Bacigalupi, Bucher, Allen, Rochioli, and the Estate. Each is a vineyard designate
in its own right. Together they produce a wine of refined red fruit, supple tannin, and a mineral-driven finish.

The Sonoma County bottling blends fruit from both Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. It frequently includes younger vines and select barrels that do not join the vineyard-designate blends. A lighter oak regimen and softer tannins make it ideal for earlier drinking and a companion while the vineyard designates gain bottle age.

The Spring Release introduces the regional wines, while the Fall Release focuses on vineyard designates that require additional time in barrel and bottle. Burt and Ed’s rule of thumb holds true: five to seven years from vintage rewards patience. The AVA wines offer early insight into the vintage and guide the palate to which sites one may wish to explore further.

Looking back, the 2025 harvest was exceptional for another reason. We completed our inaugural crush in our new Healdsburg winemaking facility. Purpose-built for our unique approach with dairy tanks, gravity flow, and gentle handling, it pairs modern infrastructure with our traditional methods. Aging and bottling continue at the Estate on Westside Road, preserving the throughline of craft from vineyard to bottle.

Cheers!

Jeff Mangahas

VP/Director of Winemaking

Vintage Summary

The 2024 growing season had an auspicious start with above average rain totals of nearly 36 inches on Westside Road. Early spring was cool and mild with few frost events, and bud-break started on average. With ample moisture in the soil, shoot growth was even with excellent vigor and balance. Cool weather prevailed and flowering was delayed until late May with excellent fruit set and a bountiful crop. As the season progressed, heat units built up and culminated in early July with temperatures of 103°F for several days, one of the warmest early summer periods in the last 15 years. Developing fruit can be very sensitive to heat, so shade cloth was used where possible to shield the grapes from excess heat damage. Critical thinning passes were made throughout the rest of the season to eliminate damaged fruit, avoiding the early season heat effect of anthocyanin degradation and uneven tannin development. Despite the challenges of the season, this vintage was a huge success due to proper thinning and the gentle extraction techniques built into the Williams Selyem methodology. These wines represent both place and vintage, and with patience will fully express themselves.

– Jeff Mangahas, VP/Director of Winemaking

Tasting Notes

All prices unchanged from last year

PINOT NOIR – ELEGANT

2024 Sonoma County Pinot Noir
Sonoma County, 14.1% alc., $44
Cherry and strawberry notes abound in this delightfully aromatic wine. Sourced from a selection of vineyards within the Russian River Valley, the wine represents the diversity and unique character of the various neighborhoods in the AVA. Red fruits and forest floor elements with hints of anise are apparent on the palate. Tea-like tannins round out this elegantly styled wine with a wonderful medium finish. The Sonoma County offering will provide early enjoyment or can hold for the short term. It’s a perfect pairing for a casual meal.

PINOT NOIR – MEDIUM BODIED

2024 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Anderson Valley, 14.2% alc., $70
Hints of blue fruit and Morello cherry combine with darker mulberry notes to highlight the classic Anderson Valley Pinot Noir profile. There is a refreshing fresh herb component underneath the fruit elements, reminiscent of a bouquet garni, owing to the wild penny royal growing through the valley. Mouthcoating and serious at the entry, the weight of this wine is compelling. The long growing season and well drained soils create a wine with both intensity and refinement. Flavors of black cherry and wood spices meld into notes of Earl Grey tea. Beautifully balanced tannin and acidity offer a wine that is both enjoyable now and can age for the mid-term.

2024 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley, 14.1% alc., $70
The 2024 is another classic Russian River Valley offering in the making. Sourced from the full diversity
of the AVA, the Russian River Valley is a panoramic view of the region. Highlighted with red cherry fruit and dried cranberry notes, the nose is further complexed with floral notes of rose and lavender. Cedar, citrus, and wood spices combine with fresh herbs, adding a different dimension. Beautiful red fruit flavors peak in the mid-palate and transition to a black tea-like sensation. Dried citrus flavors interlaced throughout the palate offer freshness.

2024 Martaella Vineyard Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley, 14.2% alc., $78
Alluring aromas give a perfumed essence of Pinot Noir in this wonderfully complex wine. Red fruits mix with fennel frond and Earl Grey tea, beautifully counterpointed with wood spices. Further aeration brings notes of mulberry and blue fruit. Located in the Russian River Valley’s Santa Rosa Plain, the vineyard is planted to a higher density and competition between plants results in elegance and refinement on the nose and palate. The entry of the wine is rich and appealing, as red fruit flavors combine with citrus, transitioning to polished tannins and a tea-like finish.

2024 Westside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley, 14.2% alc., $90
Red fruits and crushed rocks jump from the glass with the classic aromas of the Westside Road blend. Hints of hazelnut, earth, and sous bois belie the fruit and offer depth and complexity. Sourced from outstanding vineyards, this wine represents this amazing terroir along the rolling hills of Westside Road with elegance and class. Linear and focused in the mouth, the structure and minerals build on the palate with beautifully balanced acidity.

PINOT NOIR – FULL BODIED

2024 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast, 13.7% alc., $70
Exotic and brooding upon first nosing, this wine transports you to a different place. The Sonoma Coast, with its rugged landscape and long growing season, produces wine tending towards savory notes with excellent structure. Black and blue fruits are counterpointed with hints of tarragon and dried thyme. Dark fruits and citrus the tannins build on the palate with a wonderful mineral driven conclusion.

2024 Olivet Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley, 13.6% alc., $90
Earthy and dark fruited with notes of black cherry, this wine has a wonderful mysterious side, with intriguing hints of balsam, leather, and black tea. Planted in 1974, this vineyard has been in the Williams Selyem portfolio since the late 1980s. With aeration, a delightful perfume emerges with citrus, red apple and crushed minerals. Owing to the thick skins of the Martini selection, the wine has a penetrating tea-like structure and texture, requiring a little patience to reach its full potential.

CHARDONNAY

2024 Unoaked Chardonnay
Russian River Valley, 14.0% alc., $44
Reminiscent of Meyer lemon skin, the wine is unmistakably Chardonnay. Hints of melon, pear, and quince round out the complex array of aromas, with an undertone of white flowers adding a whimsical character. Sourced from older vines, the Unoaked Chardonnay showcases both power and elegance. The wine is rich on entry but remains vibrant with hints of citrus and Kaffir lime. Streaks of minerals and saltiness on the finish round out the palate. With the older vine sourcing and sur lie aging in the tank, the richness is compelling for a wine without oak.

2024 Drake Estate Vineyard Chardonnay
Russian River Valley, 14.4% alc., $68
Perfumed with the essence of Meyer lemon and chamomile tea, the Drake Chardonnay captures your attention. Hints of tarragon add a freshness to the delightful aromatics—the perfect complement to notes of fresh Brazil nut. Our Drake Estate Vineyard in Guerneville is the ideal spot for Chardonnay due to the long, cool growing season. Round and rich on the palate, the wine exhibits a spherical shape with a Zen-like balance.

2024 Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay
Russian River Valley, 14.3% alc., $68
Situated at the nexus of the Russian River Valley, Green Valley, and Sonoma Coast AVAs, the Heintz Vineyard is a special place. Formed from an ancient, uplifted seabed, the site enjoys moderate temperatures and a well-drained sandy loam soil. Notes of Gravenstein apple mix with yellow apple and hints of the signature fresh pineapple and tropical fruits. Salty and minerally throughout the palate, the wine showcases brilliance and verve. Flavors of citrus and apple emerge, but this wine is about minerals, texture and structure. It can be enjoyed now with richer shellfish preparations.

ZINFANDEL

2024 Belloni Vineyard Zinfandel
Russian River Valley, 14.8% alc., $72
A terrific second vintage of this old vine vineyard on the outskirts of Fulton. This true field blend is mostly Zinfandel, but Alicante Bouchet, Carignan, and Petite Sirah are also planted in the vineyard. Deep and brooding in color, the wine delights the senses with red, blue, and black fruit character. Potpourri with dried citrus and savory notes add a compelling depth to the nose. Rich and round on the entry, the wine expands on the palate with dark fruits predominating. Bittersweet chocolate and earthiness add to this wonderfully textured wine.

2024 Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard Zinfandel
Russian River Valley, 14.6% alc., $72
Rich and exotic on the nose, this historic old vine vineyard
is one of the oldest in Sonoma County. Boysenberry and blackberry notes are complemented by a surprising top note of apricot. The wine saturates the palate with blackberry compote and mountain blueberry flavors. The sheer density of this wine hides the powerful tannins while the acidity keeps harmony on the palate. Always a showstopping wine that is delicious today and can keep in the cellar.

2024 Papera Vineyard Zinfandel
Russian River Valley, 14.8% alc., $72
A classic vineyard in the Piner-Olivet region of the Russian River Valley, Papera showcases red fruits with an underlying brambly, black fruit character. Hints of wood spices and anise complement the terrific aromatics. Refreshing on the palate, the wine showcases depth and brilliant acidity that keeps the wine balanced and lithe. Hints of grapefruit, anise and wood spices round out this classy Zinfandel.

Important Dates

MARCH 9: Shipping Begins to Hot States (AL, AR, AZ, FL, GA, LA, NC, SC, TN, TX)
MARCH 23: Shipping Begins to All Other Areas
MARCH 24: Shipping Begins to California
APRIL 13-26: California Pickup, Williams Selyem Estate
MAY 1-3: New York Pickup, Millbrook Winery

Ordering Information

• Online ordering is strongly encouraged. To access your allocation, use the customized link in the email we’ll send to you on the opening day of the release or sign in via our website using your user credentials.
• Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Allocations are not guaranteed; they represent the number of bottles available to you until the wine sells out (which is often before the last day to order). Please place your order as soon as possible for best order fulfillment.
• For bottles beyond your allocation, please use the wish list column. These requests will be filled, if possible, before the close of the release. You do not need to include payment for wish list wines. We will charge or invoice your account later if the request is filled.
• If paying by check, please send via mail to 7227 Westside Rd, Healdsburg CA 95448
• Order confirmations will be sent via email. Please verify your email address!
• Faxed or mailed orders submitted without payment will not be filled; phone and email orders are not accepted.

Shipping

Some states do not permit direct wine shipments, or they may limit the amount of wine we can ship to you. Please see our website for more details.
We require a valid shipping address (no PO Boxes) where someone 21+ years of age is available to sign for the package during regular business hours.

Wine Pickup

CALIFORNIA

• Wine orders will be available for pickup at the Williams Selyem Estate from Monday, April 13 through Sunday, April 26. Please select the pickup option and we will reach out with more information.

NEW YORK

• The dates for the Pickup Event in Millbrook, NY are Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3. If you select this option, we will communicate event details with you via email as we get closer to the event.
• Address: 26 Wing Road, Millbrook, NY 12545; Phone: 845-677-8383, ext. 21; Email: millbrookwinery@millwine.com; Website: www.millbrookwine.com

THIRD-PARTY PICKUP

• WS does not apply a shipping/handling charge for CA Pickup going to third-party vendors. Handling fees may be added by the vendor; see your contract or contact them directly for more info.
• You must establish an account with the third-party vendor of your choice prior to order pickup.
• Please also note that these vendors do not allow pickups from their physical locations.