Distinguished French winemaking family makes first U.S. vineyard acquisition

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Pacific Union International, Inc. -- an exclusive Affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate -- today announced the purchase of Robin Williams’ Napa estate, Villa Sorriso, by clients Alfred and Melanie Tesseron of the famed French winemaking family in Bordeaux, France. Will Densberger of Pacific Union’s St. Helena office and Rob Landsness of Pacific Union’s San Francisco office represented the Tesseron family. The estate features a 22,000-square-foot home as well as a tennis court, pool, stables and outbuildings, all of which were originally designed for the late comedian and his family.

The purchase of Villa Sorriso, a 640-acre vineyard estate within the prestigious Mt. Veeder wine-growing AVA in the Napa Valley, is the culmination of an exhaustive multi-year search by the Tesserons for a U.S.-based venture. Celebrated for their award-winning Chateau Pontet Canet in Pauillac, Bordeaux – as well as Tesseron Cognac – this is the first vineyard acquisition by the Tesserons outside of Bordeaux. The Tesserons plan to make elite Bordeaux-styled wine in Napa that will be consistent with their wines of Pontet Canet and appreciative of the unique nature of Mt. Veeder terroir. Villa Sorriso vineyards are primarily comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, but also have plantings of Cabaret Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.

Alfred Tesseron took over the reins at Pontet Canet in 1994, astonishing the wine world with back-to-back 100-point scores on the 2009 and 2010 vintages, which were produced with his unique biodynamic methods of production with lead viticulturist Jean Michel Comme.

The sale follows the 2013 sale of Napa Valley’s Araujo Estate to Chateau Latour, and the 2015 sale of St. Supery to the Chanel Inc. as a trend of significant wine industry acquisitions by world-famous Bordeaux Chateaus.

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About Pacific Union
Pacific Union is the San Francisco Bay Area’s premier luxury real estate brand, operating in eight regions. The brokerage offers a full range of personal and commercial real estate services, including buying, selling and relocation, and enjoys a relationship with Christie’s International Real Estate as an exclusive affiliate in the San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the State of California. Locally owned, Pacific Union operates with an entrepreneurial mindset and unwavering commitment to deliver exceptional service and expertise. For more information, please visit us at www.pacificunion.com.

About Christie’s International Real Estate
Christie’s International Real Estate is an invitation-only affiliate network composed of the world’s most proven and qualified real estate specialists in the luxury residential sector. The company has offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Beverly Hills, Chicago, and Palm Beach, and approximately 125 global affiliates with 25,000 real estate professionals in 41 countries. For additional information please visit www.christiesrealestate.com.