2016 Tesseron Estate, Pym-Rae Red, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, California, USA

The inaugural vintage release of Pym-Rae, interesting to taste alongside the 2017, as the 2016 vintage was a little more balanced. This is gorgeous, flecked with wild herbs, campfire smoke, liquorice and sun-baked black fruits. The high Cabernet Sauvignon comes through in a eucalyptus and black pepper spice to the finish. Plenty of tannins, this can be approached with a few hours in a carafe but will soften further over the next few years. First year of biodynamic conversion and first year of dry farming. Fermented in 10hl concrete tanks, with all destemming done by hand, as at the family's Pontet Canet estate back in Pauillac. Winemaker for this was Thomas Comme, now replaced by Jerome Ledit. 70% new oak. The estate is located on Mount Veeder, on the border with Sonoma and is one of the highest vineyards in Napa. Drink 2024 to 2038jane_anson_mw, janeanson_com (October 2021)

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.Drink 2024 - 2038antonio_galloni, Vinous.com.com (Jan 2021)

The 2016 Pym-Rae continues to show well, with a rich, meaty, powerful style as well as loads of chocolaty black fruits, tobacco, black olive tapenade, and leather-like aromas and flavors. It's beautiful on the palate, with massive concentration and depth as well as terrific balance. This gorgeous, deep, opulent beauty is going to benefit from another 4-6 years of bottle age and live for 3-4 decades.Drink 2025 - 2067jeb_dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com (Dec 2021)

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.Drink 2020 - 2048Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Oct 2018)

This is the debut vintage of this wine from the esteemed Bordeaux owner, Alfred Tesseron, who bought the property in the Napa mountains in 2016. Aromas of plums, wet earth, fresh herbs and tobacco. Some green olives. Turns to blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet reserved and layered with chocolate, walnuts and plums. Firm yet polished tannins give a framed sense to the wine. Savory. Racy and beautifully structured, it’s extremely drinkable already. Real wine.james_suckling, jamessuckling_com (Jan 2020)