Pym-Rae - Napa Valley 2018

matthewjukes.com

18,5 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe9/14/2022

The perfume and the refinement of this wine beg the question and a quick search gives us the answer. With a 600m elevation and biodynamic practices at large in the vineyard, this is a vital, elemental and complex wine with a curiously enchanting air.

The Wine Independent

99 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe8/10/2022

The 2018 Pym-Rae is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs considerable swirling to unlock evocative, pristine notes of juicy blackberries, ripe blueberries, cassis, and red currant jelly, followed by hints of lavender, crushed rocks, bay leaves, and iron ore, with a fragrant waft of cinnamon and cloves. The densely laden, full-bodied palate bursts with ripe, perfumed black fruits, supported by firm, very finely grained tannins, and fantastic tension, finishing with a long-lasting firework display of red berry and earthy sparks. With a 4–6-hour double-decant, it is delicious now, but if you want that next-level experience, give it a good 5-6 more years in bottle and drink it over the next 40 years+.

Jane Anson

93 / 100

byJane Ansonthe6/2/2022

Concentrated and intense, with damson, black cherry, smoked earth, tar, turmeric, dried fruits, spice box, bitter chocolate. Packed with flavour and depth of fruit, with an unmistakable flash of heat through the finish that is just balanced by fennel and aniseed herbs. Heavy bottle seems out of step with a biodynamic mountain wine, but this is a luscious bottle that has impact and confidence.

Jeb DUNNUCK

99 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe12/21/2021

The 2018 Pym-Rae can be thought of as a hypothetical mix of the 2016 and 2017, with more sexiness and opulence than the 2017 and a touch more elegance and precision than the 2016. Wonderful cassis, violets, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate notes define this beauty, and it's full-bodied, with a gorgeous sense of elegance and purity, perfect tannins, and an incredible finish. This stunningly majestic, flawlessly balanced Mountain Cabernet already offers pleasure yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and it should be a 50-year wine. Bravo!

Jamessuckling.com

97 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe10/4/2021

This is extremely aromatic with blackberries, black pepper and spice. Dried flowers, too. Full-bodied with very tight, fine tannins and a racy, refined finish. Raspberries and currants at the end. Very fine and polished. The center fruit is so pure. Aged in 60% new wood barrels and 40% concrete. Drink in 2023 and onwards.

Wine Advocate

98 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe11/30/2020

The 2018 Pym-Rae reveals a deep garnet-purple color and a slightly reticent, slowly emerging nose of freshly crushed blackcurrants, ripe blackberries and wild blueberries with suggestions of garrigue, red currant jelly, mossy tree bark and truffles plus wafts of bouquet garni and Sichuan pepper. The palate is full-bodied and fantastically concentrated with tightly wound layers of black and red berry notions, framed by very firm yet beautifully ripe tannins and amazing tension, finishing with epic length and loads of mineral sparks.
98+