Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Williams Selyem with a Private Chauffeur
A pioneering Russian River Valley Pinot Noir house with a hillside estate winery under a living roof, by appointment, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Burt Williams and Ed Selyem started making wine as a weekend project in the late 1970s, foot-treading grapes in a dairy tank in a leased garage in Fulton. Their 1985 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir won the sweepstakes at the 1987 California State Fair, and in 1991 their Summa Vineyard Pinot Noir became the first California Pinot Noir to sell for $100. In 1998 they sold the winery to longtime customers John and Kathe Dyson, and in 2021 the Faiveley family of Burgundy joined as partners.
The Dysons bought Litton Vineyard on Westside Road in 2001, renamed it Williams Selyem Estate and built the winery there. Its 2007 Litton Estate Pinot Noir received 100 points from Wine Enthusiast, the first perfect score for a California Pinot Noir from a major wine publication. Jeff Mangahas, who joined in 2011, leads the winemaking, still in small lots, and the winery makes about 52 wines a year.
The estate winery is cut into the hillside under a living roof of native grasses, with redwood reclaimed from antique fermentation vats and a turquoise wall of Italian glass bottles. There is no walk-in tasting room: visits are intimate, by appointment for members of The List and their guests, with wines often pulled from the library. We make the request on your behalf.
Tasting Fees
Williams Selyem does not publish a tasting fee. Visits are hosted for members of The List and their guests. Cancellations within 24 hours carry a $75 per person charge.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
7227 Westside Road, Healdsburg
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
By appointment only, for active members of The List and their guests. We make the request on your behalf.
Known For
Single-vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and a deep wine library
Founded
1979
Good to Know
Groups of 6 or fewer. All ages welcome; let the winery know ahead if guests under 21 are coming. No pets except trained service dogs, and no outside food or drink. Cancellations within 24 hours carry a $75 per person charge.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a hotel such as The Madrona in Healdsburg or Farmhouse Inn in Forestville.
10:00 · Pickup at The Madrona or Farmhouse Inn
The Madrona, a 24-room hotel on a historic estate on Westside Road, is about 15 minutes from Williams Selyem, and Farmhouse Inn, a 25-room country inn among the vineyards and redwoods of Forestville, about 20. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:20 · Williams Selyem
An estate visit by appointment for members of The List and their guests; we plan about an hour.
11:45 · Hartford Family Winery
About 25 minutes away. A family winery founded in 1994 by Don and Jennifer Hartford, Jess Jackson's daughter, known for single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and old-vine Zinfandel. The seated Vineyard Exploration of five wines on the patio is $60. Open daily by appointment, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the last appointment at 3:30.
1:00 · Lunch at Underwood Bar and Bistro
About 15 minutes away. A bistro in the village of Graton with red vinyl banquettes, a nickel-topped bar and an open-air patio. Lunch is served Wednesday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m., and walk-ins are welcome. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Thomas George Estates
About 30 minutes away. A family-owned winery on the historic Davis Bynum site on Westside Road, with caves dug into the hillside in 2010 for barrels and tastings. The Estate Tasting of five wines with a sparkling welcome pour and estate-made arancini is $40, and the seated Single Vineyard Reserve Tasting of six wines with estate-made tacos, in the garden or the cave, is $75. Open Thursday to Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 3:50 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Underwood serves lunch Wednesday to Sunday and Thomas George is open Thursday to Monday, so this day works Thursday to Sunday. Williams Selyem hosts members of The List, so we confirm the visit first.
About $100 to $135 per person in tasting fees for Hartford and Thomas George, paid directly to each winery. The Williams Selyem visit is arranged privately.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Can I visit Williams Selyem?
Visits are by appointment for active members of The List and their guests, in groups of 6 or fewer. We make the request on your behalf, and the winery welcomes new names to The List as space opens. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Williams Selyem?
Williams Selyem does not publish a tasting fee, as of September 2026. Cancellations within 24 hours carry a $75 per person charge.
Can children visit Williams Selyem?
Yes, all ages are welcome. The winery asks to know ahead if guests under 21 are coming.
What is The List?
Williams Selyem's mailing list. Members are offered an allocation of wine in spring and fall releases, with no club shipments.
Who owns Williams Selyem?
John and Kathe Dyson bought the winery from its founders in 1998, and the Faiveley family of Burgundy joined as partners in 2021.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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