The 2008 Chardonnay Heintz Vineyard, an iconic site used by several of the top Chardonnay specialists in Northern California, displays more orange rind, creme brulee, roasted hazelnuts and smokier notes than the Allen. Thicker and more unctuous, this classic, old-style California Chardonnay seems on a much faster evolutionary track than the Allen and is probably best drunk over the next 1-2 years. With thirteen separate Pinot Noirs, Williams-Selyem has something for just about everybody. Eight of these Pinot Noirs hail from relatively well-known sites in the Russian River and three come from the Sonoma Coast, while the two outliers are the Weir Vineyard from Yorkville Highlands and the Ferrington Vineyard from the Anderson Valley. Three well-regarded vineyards of the Sonoma Coast comprise part of this impressive Pinot Noir portfolio from Williams-Selyem. With eight Russian River bottlings, the two with the largest availability are the Eastside Road Neighbors and Westside Road Neighbors, which are blends from different fruit sources. The most underrated wines in the entire portfolio are the Zinfandels that come from winemaker Bob Cabrol. Tel. (707) 433-6425; Fax (707) 433-6546

Bob Cabral’s Chardonnays sometimes get lost in the brilliant glare of his Pinot Noirs, but he has spent years exploring the rich, flamboyant side of the variety, with great success. This bottling represents William Selyem Chardonnay at its best. It’s ultra-decadent in apricot and pear flavors, with a strong oak influence, and yet an underlying minerality and fine acidity balance it so that it doesn’t tire as you drink. In fact, you want more.——S.H.(8/1/2010)—— 96