April in North Texas brought a tremendous amount of rain. In forty years it was the wettest April in memory and one of the coolest. Though some of the rain came in the Texas size thunderstorms with tornadoes, hail and lightening causing property damage for some, the rain itself was extremely beneficial leading to much improved area lake levels and some lessening of area wide water restrictions. Throughout the month we had very few pockets of sunshine but when they came it led to a beautiful day. My husband and I took advantage of one of those days for our annual spring trip to the Dallas Arboretum

The Dallas Arboretum is simply one of the most beautiful places in all of Dallas and must rank with the top Arboretums in the world. The landscape is meticulous, it is serene and majestic. I went this past December with my kids to view their 12 Days of Christmas displays and it was stunning. I love to go in the spring to see the Azaleas, tulips, daffodils and all the beautiful flowers and plants before they wilt in the extreme heat of our summers. Pictures do not come close to doing justice to the Dallas Arboretum but these will give you a glimpse of its beauty.

After spending a couple of hours at the Dallas Arboretum we decided to stop by Central Market on the way home to buy some groceries to make dinner together.  A while back we bought two bottles of Williams Selyem Pinot Noir from Spec’s; one to open soon for my husband and one to age for a few years for me. Ever since we purchased those bottles my husband has been dying to break “his” open and tonight was the night. Ironically as we sat in our backyard having dinner and enjoying the beauty of the day another huge thunderstorm rolled through and sent us back inside.

Williams Selyem 2011 Central Coast Pinot Noir: This wine poured a vibrantly brooding ruby into the glass and opened with aromas of red berries, spice and mineral notes. On the palate this full body, heavy hitting Pinot Noir delivered rich complexed and layered flavors of dark cherries, raspberries and currants with big spice notes, a touch of licorice and mushroom with a spot of jalapeño pepper. This Pinot Noir did not hold back; it had a full body, with round acidity and persistent yet integrated tannins. It was plump and juicy up front with deep earthiness on the long, lingering finish; quite an expressive wine. If you like big Pinot Noirs this was one for you! Williams Selyem explained the grapes came “100% Vista Verde Vineyard, located a couple miles south-east of Hollister, California, near the small town of Tres Pinos in San Benito County. This heavy limestone vineyard is separated into nine blocks that include clones such as Pommard, Calera, Canada, 667, Mt. Eden, and Swan.” This wine was aged for 10 months in barrels that were 35% new, 33% 1 year old and 32% 2 years old; alcohol 14.1%. Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar 90 pts. SRP at release $39; current SRP averages $65.

We paired this wine with a delicious meal but it was not the perfect pairing for a Pinot Noir as full bodied as the Williams Selyem 2011 Central Coast. It was not awful but the wine was a bit over-powering, which meant a little wine with dinner and a lot of wine after dinner! Our dinner consisted of cold shrimp with cocktail sauce, a beautiful and fresh Herloom tomato salad with fresh basil from our garden, Italian EVOO and fresh pesto, and a piece of cedar plank salmon on top of a bed of quinoa with balsamic vinegar and topped with more fresh pesto.  It was a light spring dinner that was healthy and truly yummy. Since the rain drove us inside we decided to watch a movie. We chose Kill The Messenger, based on a true story and starring Jeremy Renner. It was a good movie and I recommend it if you want to learn more about secrets of the CIA and a looking for a non-blockbuster but solid movie.

From the Williams Selyem web site: Williams Selyem Winery began as a simple dream of two friends, Ed Selyem and Burt Williams, who started weekend winemaking as a hobby in 1979 in a garage in Forestville, California. It took less than two decades from their first commercial vintage in 1981 for Burt and Ed to create a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Together, they set a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking in the United States, raising Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley to among the best winegrowing regions in the world.

Williams Selyem Mission: “Make the Best Wines, from the Best Grapes, from the Best Growers”

I encourage you to visit the Williams Selyem web site to add your name to their allocation list and a request a visit of their estate property next time you are in Sonoma County.

My Song Selection: The song I have chosen to pair with the Williams Selyem 2011 Central Coast Pinot Noir is Never Let Me Down Again by Depeche Mode. Great song; a little dark and brooding with an up-tempo that makes you want to dance; like the wine!

Get your own bottle of Williams Selyem 2011 Central Coast Pinot Noir and let me know what song you pair with it. Cheers!