Williams Selyem, Zinfandel Papera Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Williams Selyem · California › Russian River Valley › United States of America
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
92
/100
Reviews
34
professional
Vintages
No vintages
NV
Community Reviews
3939
Reviews
91.5
Avg Score
96
Highest
Taster #7995
· Jan 22, 2025
81/100
Dark ruby in the glass, with a perfumed nose of vanilla, blackberries, blackcurrants, and freshly cut celery. There is a good balance between the acidity and the medium tannins, with a sensual palate that is somewhat round yet deep with dark berries, plums, and forest floor notes. Endind shows oak and more plums, and it's long and lingering. Excellent Zinfandel - it was all you need from a good Zin (deep fruit, intensity) but it was also lithe and seamless, …
2014 vintage
Taster #7352
· Jun 24, 2022
95/100
Crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, peach, baking spices and pepper. Medium body with mouth watering acidity. Lush, rich and packed with bright, juicy fruits. Impeccably balanced. Cherry, raspberry liqueur, anise and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Fantastic Zinfandel from an iconic vineyard that has aged brilliantly. Best over the next 1-2 years.
2014 vintage
Taster #3173
· May 28, 2022
94/100
Outstanding. Beautiful deep nose of dark purple fruits. Color looks like a young Pinot. Excellent fruit flavors with a lovely finish. Looking forward to enjoying the rest with some grilled ribs.
2014 vintage
Taster #9507
· Nov 25, 2021
96/100
PNP into Pinot glasses. The boquet was phenomenal. Food friendly. Drink or hold. ✌️
2014 vintage
Taster #9877
· Feb 13, 2021
94/100
14.8% ABV Blackberry Better second day, if that is possible!
2014 vintage
Taster #9507
· Nov 30, 2020
Drank over 2 nights and thought its a Zin built to last. On the darker, richer side for Zinfandel.
2014 vintage
Taster #8793
· Apr 18, 2020
93/100
Great!
2014 vintage
Taster #2904
· Apr 1, 2020
87/100
Nice decent Zin. A bit simple.
2014 vintage
Taster #2904
· Oct 10, 2019
87/100
Why is this so more expensive than the Papera Carlisle and Bedrock? Corporate pricing? Big hit of oak at first that lessened with air but too oaky and a flat finish.
2014 vintage
Taster #7081
· Sep 18, 2019
89/100
The group was split on this one - many liked it for its fragrant nose, powerful taste, fairly high acids while others preferred another Zin that was opened for the evening - the Sbragia 2006 from Gino's Vineyard. The WS was certainly BIG but lacked a certain richness to my palate that kept it from the "holy land" of 90+ Perhaps a few more years would begin to mellow it out but we found our particular bottle fairly acidic (unlike …
2014 vintage
Taster #1433
· Aug 29, 2019
92/100
it was delicious
2014 vintage
Taster #8052
· Jul 20, 2019
91/100
When first opened it was exuberantly fruity, filled to the brim with the darkest of black cherries. Soon it evolved into an intense mineral and earth centered wine with plenty of power and some spice. Good balance, not too much alcohol or oak. Fairly simple but interesting.
2014 vintage
Taster #2904
· Jul 14, 2019
85/100
Heavy, a touch overripe, lacks acidity and is disjointed, maybe a touch flabby. Corporate pricing for this Zin price it a double it’s worth in a good year. I quit buying it two price increases ago. Great vineyard and other producers are making great wine at a more reasonable price.
2014 vintage
Taster #4226
· Jun 23, 2019
Enjoyed by Zach and Hannah
2014 vintage
Taster #8689
· May 3, 2019
91/100
Very nice full-bodied Zin. Young and exuberant with plenty of fruit but not overblown on the alcohol or jam. Still a bit too young for my palate - I'd like to see this in a few years, I bet it will be incredible.
2014 vintage
Taster #7099
· Sep 10, 2018
93/100
Elegant with bright fruit and a great finish
2014 vintage
Taster #1922
· May 5, 2018
94/100
Bright fruit, great aromatics, focused and bright.
2014 vintage
Taster #1357
· Feb 12, 2018
89/100
Lush, ripe and big with dark currant and liquorice. More upfront and simple on the palate.
2014 vintage
Taster #3195
· Jan 1, 2018
93/100
A ZIN’s Zin !!!! last of two shipped from WS in March, 2016. at $57 each. Well worth the price. WS does make fine Zins and Pinots.
2014 vintage
Taster #3195
· Jun 28, 2017
A 93. Gosh but their Zins are good.
2014 vintage
Taster #0420
· Jun 4, 2017
92/100
Singing. Great zin. PnP is great.
2014 vintage
Taster #7352
· Feb 2, 2017
93/100
Bright crimson in color. 14.9% ABV. Stunning nose of brambly black fruits, cocoa powder, tar and earth. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Sweet, decadent and delicious fruit on the palate. Flavors of blackberry, raspberry compote, milk chocolate and baking spices. The finish is exceptionally long. A great Zinfandel from a maligned vintage. Drink over the next 1-3 years.
2008 vintage
Taster #2198
· Nov 25, 2016
93/100
Excellent Zin
2014 vintage
Taster #1922
· Sep 10, 2016
94/100
14.8% abv. Dark ruby, extremely aromatic. Raspberry, boysenberry and Zin spice. Outstanding depth and length, velvety mouthfeel combined with focused intensity. A great Zin from a great vineyard.
2014 vintage
Taster #1302
· Jul 24, 2016
91/100
Another great Zin from WS. Red fruit, pepper, spice, medium body.
2014 vintage
Taster #2091
· Jul 13, 2016
89/100
Full body. Liquorice, cassis nose. Quite the explosion of dark fruits. The acidity and tannins offset the fruitiness, so as to make it not overwhelming. Just pulls this off, however, there is still an underlying sweetness with a touch of vanilla oakiness. This one may be too young yet. Give it at least another year. 14.8% abv.
2014 vintage
Taster #1922
· Jul 6, 2014
93/100
From the RRV's great Papera Ranch Vineyard, planted in 1934. 14.9% alcohol. Dark ruby red. Expressive red fruit aromas. Bright cherry and raspberry on the palate, with hints of spice box and pepper. Rich mouthfeel and a long aftertaste. Delightful!
2008 vintage
Taster #3289
· Mar 1, 2014
93/100
Rockin like last time. Beautiful!
2008 vintage
Taster #3289
· Aug 25, 2013
93/100
What a great vineyard.
2008 vintage
Taster #1922
· Jul 22, 2013
93/100
W-S Papera is silly good!
2008 vintage
Taster #4485
· Feb 29, 2012
90/100
Cherry, raspberry, pepper and oak. Acidity seems a bit high, and is noticed in the tartness on the palate, but not too heavy or dense. Pepper, without extreme heat from excessive ripeness. All in all, very good.
2008 vintage
Taster #6545
· Nov 21, 2011
93/100
Signature WS zin profile of dark, booding fruit. Very smooth and just shy of heavy in the mouth. Nice zin spice that lingers on the palate. Think, like most zins these days, better to drink on own than with food.
2008 vintage
Taster #1922
· Oct 20, 2011
93/100
Wonderful. Shows just how great old vine Zinfandel can be.
2008 vintage
Taster #2956
· Jun 25, 2011
14.9% alcohol. Just drinking supremely well right now. Dark red-purple color. Beautiful black-fruited nose with plenty of spice and a touch of earthiness. In the mouth, beautifully balanced despite its large frame. A ripe, forward wine that doesn't taste as primary as it looks, with plenty of spice and a long finish. A-/A
2008 vintage
Taster #1381
· Apr 13, 2011
92/100
Very nice nose of ripe berries when poured into the decanter. Evolved over several hours with tongue coating flavors of berries and herbal notes, and has that distinctive 'Selyem' flavor as well. Good finish at 20+ seconds... Very good Zinfandel.
2008 vintage
Taster #2956
· Mar 22, 2011
14.9% alcohol. This comes out of the gate smoking good, and it doesn't stop at all. A gorgeous Zin. Dark red-purple color. Terrific, ripe nose of black Zin fruits, spice, and subtle earth. In the mouth, impeccably balanced and beautifully concentrated. This is a Zin drinkers paradise right here. A complete, lovely wine that is showing surprisingly well already. A-/A
2008 vintage
Taster #1525
· Feb 26, 2011
94/100
Wow... some distinguished drinkers from the zin industry present when this btl was opened, and everyone couldn't stop gushing about this wine. Super smooth, hints of anise, cola, and dark berry. Nice finish. Was incredible.
2008 vintage
Taster #2952
· Jan 29, 2011
91/100
Zin tasting with friends - Brief notes : This was a very nice bottle but like the Bedrock drinking this now is IMHO at least a year too early. Needs time to settle down.
2008 vintage
Taster #6692
· Oct 31, 2010
90/100
medium body; juicy mixed berry, coffee; nice balance
2008 vintage