2017 Pym Rae

Powerful waves of ripe fruit, this is concentrated and spicy, majoring on blackberries, bilberries, black tea, espresso, cocoa bean and liqourice with edgy tannins. In biodynamic conversion (Demeter certification as of the 2018 vintage), and also newly-converted to dry farming - inevitably challenging in the first few years as the vineyard strives for natural balance, and even more so in intensely hot years such as 2017. This makes an impression and needs time to soften, but is a fragrant, concentrated mountain Napa - Pym-Rae is located on Mount Veeder, on the border with Sonoma and is set across two vineyard plots at 500m and 600m in altitude, with 7.5ha in total (of a property that stretches across almost 250ha of mainly wild land). Released through the Place de Bordeaux. New winemaker Jerome Ledit, a former colleague of Pontet Canet winemaker Mathieu Bessonnet - they both worked with Michel Chapoutier in the Rhône, and Ledit worked a vintage at Pontet before moving out to Napa. 70% new oak.

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. Due to strict selection, only around 1500 cases were made this year.