Pym-Rae (Tesseron Estate) - Mount Veeder 2016 (750ml)
| Producer | Pym-Rae (Tesseron Estate) |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Mount Veeder |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Item# | 23830 |
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Wine Advocate: 97 Points
A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pym-Rae displays a deep garnet-purple color and reveals wonderfully fragrant notes of candied violets, wilted roses, damp soil and black tea over a core of red and black currants, black cherries and warm blackberries plus touches of cigar box and camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is evocatively singular, offering that rock-solid structure of mountain fruit, yet these are wonderfully ripe, silt-like tannins that beautifully support the elegant red and black fruit layers, finishing very long and very perfumed.
Jeb Dunnuck: 96+ Points
The 2016 Pym-Rae comes from an estate on Mount Veeder and is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, all aged in 70% new French oak and the balance in concrete vats. The first vintage for this cuvée, it's named after the original estate owner's children, Pym and Rae, which were their middle names. The 2016 is a beautiful wine and has a unique, rich, meaty character as well as lots of dark fruits, mountain scrub brush, tobacco, and leather that develops nicely with time in the glass, showing more and more fruit and purity with air. Full-bodied, nicely concentrated, and textured, it has a mass of tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a solid spine of acidity that keeps it lively and fresh. It offers pleasure today yet is going to benefit from 5-7 years in the cellar. My money is on it evolving for 25-30 years.
Vinous: 95 Points
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is the first wine from the Tesseron family's Mount Veeder estate, the property that once belonged to comedian Robin Williams. It is certainly an impressive debut. Inky and dark, the 2016 possesses tremendous textural richness. At the moment, the 2016 is driven by its deep, luscious fruit. I imagine more site character will emerge over time. In my view, the French oak is a bit strong at this stage, but I imagine that will sort itself out in future vintages. The Pym Rae Cabernet is made by Thomas Comme, whose father Jean-Michel, spent more than twenty years at Pontet-Canet. I was impressed by the potential of this site during a visit a few years ago. This is certainly going to be an exciting project to watch.
