2008 Morning Dew Ranch - an increasingly rare CA Pinot epiphany

Morning Dew Ranch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2008

Wow was this wine compelling. Spice box, bowl of fruit, and some hints of forest floor. Perfect balance and I can only imagine a fine future lies ahead of it, but it’s a great drink now. I’m told Burt Williams only made wine commercially from this property in 2008 and 2009. Too bad. Has anyone had any of the Williams Selyem versions?

I have not opened them yet.

You gave me a reason, however!

Blake Brown knows about this site and has posted on it, he should know maybe he’ll weigh in.

Anyone owning bottles of this stuff is fortunate indeed.

I tried to buy some via snail mail years ago and failed.

This is the one Williams Selyem bottling I buy every year, well since 2010 anyway… it is excellent IMO. Drew winery makes a very good Morning Dew at least the one that I had, I believe it was a 2011.

I’ll second the Drew version - very good.

I’ve been buying the WS version for a few years, but haven’t opened any because I can only swing for 2 bottles usually. I’d love to get ahold of some of the original though; I’ve only ever seen reviews of it (e.g. Prince of Pinot)

I have a bit of the 2008 and a good stash of the 2009. The 2009 was plentiful and Burt never sold through the whole batch, got a follow up letter after the initial offering with an offer to buy more.

Why was there only two offerings?

After that, did it all start going to Williams Selyem?

I don’t know the definitive answer.

I think some sort of trade is in our immediate future. We have spoken of this before

Perhaps we can work something out next Saturday over some 05’s…

I can add some info and even tasting notes for the 08 and 09 Pinots, both good and very different as the 08 was inundated with smoke from the lightening strikes in the area and the vineyard was significantly effected. The 09 is amazing and it is a major deviation from the fruit profile of Burts wines from 97 and earlier. It is a big boy loaded with black cherry and lots more and promises to age for many years, drinking really good early on and improving as it matures.

Here`s some background info:

Morning Dew Ranch

When Williams Selyem was sold in 1997, Burt Williams bought a 40-acre property in Anderson Valley the following year. Under the direction of vineyardist Steve Williams, the land was cleared and planted to cuttings from the Rochioli Vineyard, “DRC” suitcase selections from adjacent vineyards, clone 23 (a clone Burt’s deceased son favored), and Dijon clones 115, 777 and 828. The vineyard was named Morning Dew Ranch.

The fruit from Morning Dew Ranch as been released as a vineyard designated Pinot Noir by Brogan Cellers (owned by Burt’s daughter, Margi Williams-Wierenga), Woodenhead, and Whitcraft. Williams crafted small amounts of Pinot Noir in 2008 and 2009 and released the wines in late the summer of 2011 (the 2008 vintage) and spring of 2012 (the 2009 vintage). The wines were sold primarily to close friends and long time customers of Williams Selyem. Williams has no plans to continue to produce wine after the 2009 vintage, choosing instead to take full advantage of retirement.

The Burt Williams recipe for Pinot Noir: 5-day cold soak, ferment with 15-30 percent whole clusters using Williams Selyem’s proprietary yeast strain (isolated from the Martinelli Vineyard in 1984). Punch downs are performed every six hours once fermentation starts. The wine is pressed off the skins gently and aged in new and used Francois Fréres oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered.

May 17, 2013 - 08` MDR Pinot Noir:

The first of only 2 vintages Burt Williams made after abstaining from doing so after selling his winery in 97`; it had a local electrical storm fire smoke dominated nose, blending in with some concentrated cranberry and cherry notes by mid palate in a medium to full body; my question is will the smoke dissipate over time to the extent of being secondary or remain the primary character? If it remains, this will pair perfectly with anything smoked on the grill.

John,

I ran into Burt Williams today at Mateo s in Healdsburg. Mateo is hosting a Burt Williams dinner with the 08 and 09 Morning Dew wines plus Burt and some Mescal maker on 2 December. You should check it out. Be sure to get a room for the night within fifty yards of Mateo’s.

Your alternative is to make Blake your best friend.

The late Chris Whitcraft did indeed make a couple of vintages of Morning Dew Pinot Noir. They were among he best wines Chris ever made. Sadly Chris is now gone but if you ever get the opportunity to try any of his wines I highly recommend them

Cheers, Bob

Blake, I would say the smoke has indeed dissipated in the two and a half years since your May '13 note. Certainly it was nothing dominate or at all bothersome.

The 2008 was actually cheaper because of smoke taint. I ended up buying a few 2009 and every time I have had them they have been excellent.

Wholeheartedly agree Bob. Chris was a very close friend of Burts and sourced fruit from MDR from the first harvest on. I have them all and the 06 and 07` are showing righteously well now although they have a lot life span ahead.

Im happy to hear this since its been a year since my last one. I have 2+ cases and was just waiting it out for the time when all is balanced out.