2021 Tesseron Estate Pym-Rae

Alfred Tesseron (of Château Pontet-Canet in Pauillac, Bordeaux) was searching for a unique terroir outside of Bordeaux to work with. He sought a location where he knew the Bordeaux grape varieties he was familiar with, specifically a place where these grapes were at their best. He found that spot on the originally volcanic, 500-meter-high Mount Veeder in Napa Valley. Tesseron came across the 29-year-old vineyard of actor Robin Williams, who had died two years earlier. Tesseron purchased the vineyard in 2016 and named the project Pym Rae: the name Williams had given the vineyard, after the (pet) names of his children. Williams had never made wine from this vineyard, but Tesseron saw its great potential. The vineyard is now farmed using the same biodynamic methods as at Château Pontet-Canet, with the same precision and dedication.

The Tesseron Estate Pym-Rae is a blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. In the glass, this top Napa wine has a deep garnet purple color and reveals delightfully fragrant notes of candied violets, wilted roses, damp earth, and black tea over a core of red and black currants, black cherries, and warm blackberries, with hints of cigar box and camphorsuckle. Medium to full-bodied, the palate boasts a rock-solid fruit structure, fine-grained tannins that beautifully support the elegant layers of red and black fruit, and a very long and intensely fragrant finish.

This Pym-Rae offers aromas of flowers, berries, plums, and cocoa. It is full-bodied with compact fruit and fine tannins, giving it suppleness and finesse, yet is highly structured and long. The wine is aged in 55% new French barrels and 45% concrete eggs for 18 months. The wine is composed of 75% CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 15% MERLOT, and 10% CABERNET FRANC.

Ratings: 98 James Suckling, 98 Jeb Dunnuck, 95 Jane Anson, 100 The WIne Palate (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)

FACT: In the "Attachments" tab, you'll find the official fact sheet for this beautiful wine. We'll automatically send it to you when you order this wine. You'll also find numerous photos of Tesseron Estate's unique vineyards. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you pick it up, you'll often receive a nice discount . You'll see your discount immediately when you select "Pickup" at checkout. We're located in Dordrecht, just off the A16 motorway, with ample parking. Click here for our address.