For a family with vineyards of exceptional quality, a place of great reputation and potential was needed. The acquisition was made in 2016. The Tesseron family had been looking for a vineyard for a long time and their sights were set on the Napa Valley, more precisely on the heights of Mount Veeder: Pym-Rae. The estate was known for its then owner, the actor Robin Williams (who died in 2014), whose two children are named Pym and Rae. Justine, Noé and Alfred Tesseron have not changed the name, they have focused more on the hectares of Cabernets – around 30 years old – which thrive on clay-limestone soils and at an altitude of around 500 metres.

Climate

2017 was a challenging vintage. After a particularly wet and cold winter, the growing season started late. The following part of the year went to a ‘classic’ Californian story: Sun, heat and blue sky! However, despite a few days in a row with over 43°C (110°F) early September in the valley, the grapes remained healthy and balanced due to the altitude vineyard which benefits from a fresher climate. The end of the season was marked by important fires in the region. At Pym-Rae, only the Cabernet Franc were affected. They were thus excluded them from the final blend. The vineyard went through extreme conditions, from a wet winter to a very hot summer. An intense and powerful wine, balanced with a beautiful freshness characteristic from the terroir, was obtained.

Winemaking

Here the approach is non-interventionist: no leaf removal, no green harvesting, no irrigation. 2016 is the first vintage of the conversion to organic and biodynamic farming. Vinification in round concrete tanks of 264 gallons (1000l). Followed by the Bordeaux oenologist Michel Rolland, the maturation (16 months) is mixed: 70% in new French oak barrels, the rest evolving in concrete tanks.

Tasting notes

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pym-Rae leaps from the glass with bold notions of black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate with an opulent undercurrent of Indian spices, potpourri, sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with rich, seductive black fruit preserves and an explosion of exotic spice sparks, framed by firm yet beautifully plush tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long and achingly fragrant. Possessing loads more weight and mid-palate density than a lot of 2017s, this second showing is an absolute knock-out.