Chi Chi Miguel would like to extend a big "Congrats!” to Big Willi (Bob Cabral) for "Winemaker of the Year"

Williams Selyem winery is proud to announce that Bob Cabral, Director of Winemaking for Williams Selyem, has been named Winemaker of the Year for 2011 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

In presentation of their prestigious Wine Star Awards, Wine Enthusiast will honor Bob and other international wine industry luminaries at a black-tie gala in New York City on January 30, 2012.
 
Other nominees for Winemaker of the Year include Philippe Cambie of southern France, Alvaro Espinoza of Chile, Gerhard Kracher of Weinlaubenhof Kracher in Austria, and Zelma Long of California/South Africa.
 
In receiving the award Bob joins fellow honorees Genevieve Janssens of Robert Mondavi Winery (2010), Scott McLeod of Rubicon Estate & Francis Ford Coppola (2009), Margo Van Staaveren of Chateau St. Jean (2008), Carlo Ferrini of Italy (2007), and Olivier Humbrecht of Domain Zind-Humbrecht, France (2006).

Bob is an experienced winemaker whose meticulousness and patience yield wines that are authentic expressions of each vineyard site. In 2007, one such site found perfect expression and received a 100-point rating from Wine Enthusiast. Our 2007 Litton Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir (now called Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard) was the first domestic Pinot Noir to earn a perfect score from a major wine publication. Bob designed and planted the vineyard to an exact specification of clones, rootstocks, spacing and trellising. This has resulted in wines of the highest quality and worthy of the Williams Selyem Estate name.

With over 25 vintages in Sonoma County, Bob has crafted wines from world-class vineyards like Rochioli Vineyard, Hirsch Vineyard, Allen Ranch, Olivet Lane and Precious Mountain. His latest passions include extensive charity work for under-privileged children. Working closely with Chef Emeril Lagasse's Carnivale du Vin, The Chi Chi Miguel Throwdown BBQ in Destin, FL, Chef Charlie Palmer's Pigs & Pinot, and most recently crafting a wine with close friends Jonathan Cain (of Journey) and Michael Browne (of Kosta Browne) to produce the charity auction-only Revelation Pinot Noir.

Congratulations Bob!