I had the pleasure of sharing two meals, great wine, and conversation with Sam Williamson, winemaker and son of founders of Williamson Winery, a premier boutique winery in the heart of Sonoma County, California this past week. Sam was in Sarasota as a host winemaker at the 5th annual Wild Truffle Dinner by Florida WineFest, benefiting children’s charities since 1993.
The vision at Williamson Winery was to produce limited lots of iconic wines recognized for their flavor, quality and consistency. Then to share and enjoy this limited bounty with a group of friends. Williamson produces some 40 different wines, all in limited quantities (100-600 cases max).
Originally from Wicklow, Ireland the Williamson and Doyle families settled in Australia some 200 years ago. Historically farmers, the families developed properties growing wheat and alfalfa, breeding sheep and cattle, and most notably, growing wine grapes and making wine.
Returning from the Air Force after World War II, Hugh Williamson and his new wife Mary Doyle-Williamson left the family farms in the care of their brothers and moved to the city of Sydney where their son, Bill was born. Growing up in Sydney but spending his vacations on the family farm, Bill developed an appreciation for the values of both city and country lifestyles.
Coming to America
Educated in physics, business and computer science, Bill co-founded a successful software company in Australia where he met his future wife, Dawn. First arriving on July 4th, 1979, Bill and Dawn moved to San Francisco to participate in the Silicon Valley technology revolution. Here, their second start-up software venture also proved successful. Some years later they sold their company and moved to their current home on a vineyard property in Dry Creek Valley. The couple visited Dry Creek by accident and fell in love with a 50 acre parcel, on which they made an offer and purchased the land the same day! They realized the area was perfect for growing Bordeaux style grapes.
Vines to Wines
During the course of his business life, Bill worked with some of the major wineries around the world. In parallel he researched and developed his own vineyard management methodology focused on low-yield, high quality fruit utilizing vine stress and sustainable farming practices.
With the help of select courses at U.C. Davis and years working with several mentors, Bill developed his vineyard management and wine making protocols. Here he incorporates an understanding of the great wines of the world, their origins and history; bringing together traditional and modern wine making techniques. The result is a range of pleasurable, premium quality wines that have become an award-winning collection.
Healdsburg is the confluence of a series of valleys which stretch out in different directions, each with its own soil structure and micro-climate. Interestingly, these valleys and the bench land that divides them provide ideal growing conditions for various different types of wine grapes.
Russian River Valley with its marine influence gives us the ability to grow Burgundy varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Dry Creek Valley and Sonoma Valley are ideal for the right bank Bordeaux varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Franc while Alexander Valley and Napa Valley favor left bank Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The bench land favors the Rhone varietals such as Syrah and Grenanche.
Best-in-the-world quality fruit of all these varieties can be grown here and all within an hour’s drive. It is the most challenging and rewarding place on earth for a winemaker and produces some of the greatest wines for wine lovers.
Terroir
The grape vine is the source of all wine. Reaching the highest level of quality in wine is only possible by starting with the highest quality fruit. There are multiple interactive factors to consider in achieving highest fruit quality. Selecting a site, the average length of the ripening season, the normal annual weather conditions, the soil type, fertility and drainage, the topography, sun exposure, and likely pest problems all need to be taken into account well before the first vine is planted. The combination of these factors is referred to as “terroir”.
In mid 1990’s, the family decided that our farming practices should be in accordance with the California Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices which are both sensitive to the environment and responsive to the interests of society. The main values of this set of practices are:
Produce the best quality grapes and wine possible
Protect the environment and conserve natural resources
Maintain the long-term viability of the agricultural property
Loving life in wine country Dawn wanted the names to have a “love” or “romantic” theme.
Bill believes wines express themselves first via color then as aroma, then as entry, mid and end palate flavors, then as an impression and finally as an overall feeling or harmony.
With this in mind Dawn and Bill created a list of romantic words that described something impending and positive. Then, the first time Bill experiences the finished wine, he nominates its name based upon his feeling about the wine’s harmony.
Burgundy Style Wines
Amourette ®, a French word which means “a little love affair” named because of the love affair we had with our home ranch Chardonnay and to honor Cecile, our original french wine maker mentor.
Chantilly ®, was chosen for our second Chardonnay which Bill made specially for Dawn. Chantilly [shan-til’-ee] refers to a town in France where fine lace is made for wedding veils and also refers to sweetened whipped cream, so the thought was that Bill made Chantilly for “his sweet bride”.
Passion ®, an intense emotion which compels action and one taste of this Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley compels you to taste more as it unfolds showing its layers of flavor.
Rapture ®, to be carried away by overwhelming emotion, is indicative of the immediate ecstasy one feels in being carried away by tasting this overwhelming Pinot Noir.
Noble Bordeaux Style Wines
Joy ®, the expression great delight or happiness and it truly is a joyous wine to be enjoyed in the summer sun. Joy was also chosen by Bill as the name of this tall blond wine to honor Dawn’s tall, blond mother, Joy.
Amour ®, the French word meaning “love” because everyone loves this unique, single-vineyard, non blended Merlot.
Sultry ®, passionately warm and exciting strong sensual desire, was the word that occurred when Bill first smelled the Cabernet Franc. Known for its great aroma this wine is truly sensual and sultry in nature.
Tango ®, a lovers dance with closed embrace and exciting, provocative rhythm, was the obvious choice for our Malbec which strives to out perform Argentine Malbec with its tight embrace and provocative mouth feel.
Seduce ®, to lead by persuasion to physical action. How appropriate for this Dry Creek Valley (aka DCV) Cabernet Sauvignon made from our home ranch fruit. Soft and luscious in the mouth this powerful Cabernet will seduce you into the physical action of tasting more and more.
Inspire ®, to exert an enlivening or exalting influence. The inspiration came from Bills’ desire to actually make a Napa Cabernet each year with fruit sourced from a different, well respected Napa vineyard. The first was called CMH but when it out-performed the original winery in competition we decided it was more prudent to change the name to one that only hints at this inspiration.
Indulge ®, to yield to the desire to allow oneself to take unrestrained pleasure. This Cabernet Sauvignon was Bill’s indulgence in making yet another incredible Cabernet from our Dry Creek Valley fruit.
Sovereign ® is an incredible Cabernet Sauvignon blend which Bill developed and then barrel-aged over an extended period of four years. The name Sovereign means a principal ruler and also refers to a Victorian-era gold coin. Since our first Sovereign ruled with five gold medals the name is appropriate.
Stagecoach ® refers to the famous Stagecoach Vineyard, the largest contiguous mountain planting in the Napa Valley. Stretching from Atlas Peak to above Oakville, this 1,200 acres of rocky, volcanic, south-facing terroir entices many of Napa’s most successful winemakers to compete for the Stagecoach fruit. Today, we are proud to be one of 40 wineries who craft incredible wines from this vineyard where the character and complexity in these mountain grapes continues to be impressive.
Meritage ~ Bordeaux Blend Wines
Bliss ®, complete happiness, because our dessert wine will induce a state of extreme happiness.
Allure ®, to attract by charm. Our Meritage demonstrates the power to attract through its soft and alluring flavors. [Meritage: us/ American Bordeaux]
Entice ®, to attract by arousing desire, was chosen for our Cuvée because once you realize its power it will provoke or entice you to do something different with foods, especially peppered foods. [Cuvée: fr/ blend]
Clarissa ®, a 1748 novel “History of a young Lady” and Dawn’s middle name, was chosen for our Vin Rouge to honor Dawn. [Vin Rouge: fr/ red wine]
Ravish ®, to overwhelm with emotion, filling with delight, was chosen for our Mélange [ma-lan-ge] because it will hold you spellbound with a feeling of delight, filled with wonder and enchantment from this incredible soft yet powerful wine. [Mélange: fr/ mixture]
Rhône Style Wines
Relish®, appetizing flavor pleasant to the taste and enjoyed with great zest. It’s unusual to find a pure Roussanne as the varietal is almost always blended into other wines to add more melon and mineral core, but Bill felt that his Roussanne was wine enough to deserve its own label and he relished that thought.
Frolic ®, uninhibited enjoyment in high spirits, was chosen for the Viognier because of its light, honey flavor which seemed to evoke feelings of gaiety, merriment or playfulness. It seemed that Homer was describing our Viognier when he wrote, “Wine can of their wits the wise beguile; make the sage frolic and the serious smile.”
Embrace®, accepting or supporting something enthusiastically. Intensely fruity with vibrant acids. Approachable early with elegance and finesse . A long palate presence delivering a cascade of pleasure. We embrace Grenache enthusiastically because it truly delivers what Pinot Noir only promises.
Heritage ®, that possessed as a result of natural birth, was chosen for our first Shiraz, made in the Australian McLaren Vale style, co-fermented with a little Viognier, it represents our Australian heritage (from the Australian clones we planted here) and the heritage of all wines (see “History of Shiraz”) honoring the French Hermitage Syrah clones we also planted here.
Enchant ®, to attract and move deeply rousing ecstatic admiration, was chosen for our Châteauneuf-du-Pape style wine made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. A bold wine that will attract and capture your attention then, paired with complex foods, will cause you to be enamored with its richness.
Elate ®, to be in high spirits; exultant or proud. This Cabernet-Shiraz blend will make anyone be in high spirits with its full rich mouth feel and great finish. Bill is also proud of this tribute to his homeland Grange.
Sparkling Wines
Fizz ® Bright and lively in the sparkling Champagne-style made from a cuvée of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir grapes and produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle in the méthode champenoise style. A wonderful wine with a perfect balance, not overly fruity or too dry. Originally made to kick off Williamson Wine Club events, although some club members have been able to convince Bill to part with a bottle or two.
Bubbles ® An absolutely unique wine, this sparkling Malbec is made in the méthode champenoise style where the bubbles are produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle. Experience vivid violet and purple bubbles with the smell of blackberry, liquorish and chocolate. When poured, the bubbles settle into a purple red wine with a full mouth of dark fruit made even more exciting by its effervescence.
Esoteric Fun Wines
Fling®, a short period of enjoyment or wild behavior. Presented with an opportunity to take some Tempranillo fruit Bill set about a little wild behavior producing this wine with a ripe and enticing taste.
Amuse®, to find something funny and provide an interesting and enjoyable occupation. One of his winemaking colleagues recently referred to Bill’s blending wines as “an excess of riches.” Amused by this concept Bill decided to select certain barrels of these wines and make an amusing blend,
Folly®, a lack of good sense, perhaps a little foolishness. Creating the blend is the most creative part of being a winemaker. When you have six blends that have all won gold is it a little foolish to make another, especially from a brand new vineyard? No surprise -just folly.
Adore®, to love someone or something deeply and devotedly.
Tickled Pink®, pleased and delighted with the Adore Rose which is light in the Southern Rhone style Bill decided to make a second Rose a little darker and was tickled pink with the result.
Every wine is served with delicious food creations from the winery kitchen so you can taste the wine alone, then experience how it works with the food pairing.
Williamson grows, makes and blends over 40 wines, just too many to taste in one session so the different tasting experiences allow you to focus on the wine styles you prefer. Wine club members receive their special pricing on all tastings so simply click on any of interest to see more.
Their son, Sam Williamson (named after Uncle Sam in honor of the United States) learned from his dad and is the principal winemaker and brand ambassador today. Sam takes a group of wine club members to Australia each year to visit a number of top wineries in several key regions including Hunter Valley in New South Wales and the famed Barossa Valley in South Australia, which the family has long-established relationships with. A food and wine aficionado like his folks, the focus is on pairing great wines with food, and at the tasting rooms in Sonoma, their CIA-trained chef (started in Hyde Park and graduated from Greystone in Napa) will design a meal around a particular wine they created. For instance, the Entice Cuvee was designed as a Bordeaux blend and pairs perfectly with peppered steak! Wine club selections come with recipes specifically developed for each selection! The Williamson’s will be hosting a wine cruise from Athens to Barcelona in 2017 for wine club members!
I will have the pleasure of visiting Sonoma and Williamson Winery in 2017! As someone who really enjoys food, wine, and wine tasting at wineries, I am pleased to share with my readers some tips from wine industry journalists on how to best enjoy your wine tasting experience, which was shared by Williamson Winery:
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes
Don’t wear perfume or cologne
Turn off your cell phone
Finish your coffee or food before entering
Allow your hosts to seat you
Supervise your children or dog and keep them with you
Be open-minded about varietals like Rose or Merlot
Remove your hand from the glass while wine is being poured
Wine experts actually like Whites as well as Reds
If it tastes good go ahead and swallow
Do buy wine – it keeps a lot of Americans employed
Refrain from discussing politics, religion or other opinionated topics
“Industry” means you are 100% employed in a winery
Be nice – enjoy the experience – its basically free wine
It’s against the law to smoke within 20 feet of a tasting room entrance
Its not good to start a tasting expecting friends to join you “soon”
Your tasting lineup generally consists of the wines being poured
It’s difficult for two people to share a glass, so don’t
It’s not nice to be that loud person who just sounds like a drunk
Tipping is OK – Buying wine is better
If you over-consume why expect to be served more
Wine scores only influence people who can’t taste
Talking about other wineries is impolite to your host
Refrain from washing your glass with water between wines
It’s not cool to show up at closing time expecting to taste
Pictured: Fred Bollaci, Sam Williamson, Chef Chris Covelli, and David Harmon III of Carneros della Notte in Napa (will be featured in an upcoming post)
Personal tips:
Be sure to plan/call ahead in advance of your planned visit. It is a great idea to talk to people who have visited previously and can make recommendations. It also helps to get out a map and strategically plan. Having an organized tour or private car and driver is something to consider, it is easy to drink too much especially if you are visiting several wineries, and you don’t want to risk serious consequences from what should be a day of enjoyment. I suggest allowing adequate time to fully visit and enjoy each experience, and to maximize enjoyment on a given day, to visit several wineries in the morning, and/or several in the afternoon, making sure to eat either food pairings with the wines you sample, or take a break to eat in between visits.
Williamson Wines has been awarded the Fred Bollaci Enterprises Golden Palate Certificate of Excellence! When planning your visit to California wine country, be sure to check out Williamson and tell them Fred Bollaci sent you!
Tasting Room Locations
The Original ~ 134 Matheson Street, Healdsburg CA 95448
Eighteen ~ 18 Matheson Street, Healdsburg CA 95448
707.433.1500
