2017 was a challenging vintage. After a particularly wet and cold winter, the growing season started late. The following part of the year went to a ‘classic’ Californian story: Sun, heat and blue sky! However, despite a few days in a row with over 110°F early September in the valley, our grapes remained healthy and balanced due to our altitude vineyard which benefits from a fresher climate. The end of the season was marked by important fires in the region. At Pym-Rae, only our Cabernet Franc were affected. We have thus excluded them from the final blend. Our vineyard went through extreme conditions, from a wet winter to a very hot summer. We obtained an intense and powerful wine, balanced with a beautiful freshness characteristic from our terroir.
Critic Ratings
James Suckling Review - Rated 97:
Rather rich, flamboyant and decadent with bright raspberries, mushrooms and bark. Full-bodied, yet very tight and refined, with firmness and length. Racy and fine for a 2017. No cabernet franc in the blend, just cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Review - Rated 97:
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.
Jeb Dunnuck Review - Rated 96:
The 2017 Pym-Rae comes from a more challenging vintage that featured a dramatic heat spike on Labor Day weekend and fires during harvest. Nevertheless, the fruit was harvested all pre-fire, and it's a beautiful wine revealing ample black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the vintage’s more focused, elegant style and has beautiful concentration as well as a great finish. While I suspect it has fewer tannins than the 2016, they're more present and focused, which is very much in the style of the vintage. This elegant, concentrated, classic Bordeaux-like Mountain Cabernet will evolve nicely for another 25+ years.
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