Pym Rae 2017

Product info about Pym Rae 2017

Pym Rae 2017 from Tesseron Estate is a red Napa Valley wine from Mount Veeder, shaped by a clear Bordeaux-oriented approach. In this vintage the blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. Cabernet Franc, although present on the estate, was left out in 2017 because the grapes were affected by the fires at the end of the season.

That vintage context matters here. A wet, cold winter was followed by a late start to the growing season, then sunshine, heat and several days above 110°F in the valley in early September. According to the producer, the elevated position of the vineyard helped the grapes remain healthy and balanced. The estate vineyard sits on sedimentary limestone soils, is not irrigated, and has vines averaging around 30 years of age.

The winemaking reflects that same careful selection: hand harvesting in small crates, manual sorting and destemming, vinification in small round concrete tanks, and 16 months of ageing, with 70% in new French oak barrels and 30% in concrete tanks. The wine is dry, firmly structured and Cabernet-led, with Merlot providing part of the final composition.

At Drankenshop Broekmans, this is the kind of bottle we value for the way origin, vintage story and limited availability come together; these are the last bottles. Strong reviews from Wine Advocate, James Suckling, Jeb Dunnuck and Falstaff underline the recognition this second commercial vintage under the Tesseron family received, but the real interest lies in its Mount Veeder identity.

In the glass, the colour runs from deep ruby to garnet-purple. Aromatically it leans into ripe dark fruit: black cherry, mulberry, plum preserve, cassis, blackberry and dark berries. Around that core come spice, earth and oak-influenced notes of cinnamon, clove, potpourri, sandalwood, tobacco, graphite, cedar, mushroom, bark, chocolate, vanilla and toast.

On the palate, Pym Rae 2017 is concentrated and firmly built, medium- to full-bodied, with ripe yet assertive tannins. The dark fruit stays central, while freshness and tension keep the wine from feeling heavy. The finish is long, spicy and structured, with mineral and graphite-like accents.