(TheWineCellarInsider) - Breaking news to get your weekend off to a good start. Alfred Tesseron and Melanie Tesseron of Pontet Canet in Pauillac just closed a deal to purchase the Robin Williams Napa Valley vineyard and estate. Rumors place the price of the estate and vineyard at close to $20,000,000. This could end up being quite a smart purchase for the property by the Tesseron family. The estate first came on the market in 2012 priced at close to $35,000,000! Aside from being one of the most successful and popular wine makers and marketers in Bordeaux,

Alfred Tesseron and Melanie Tesseron are also successful in Cognac with their Tesseron brand. However, this is the first vineyard purchased by Alfred Tesseron outside of Bordeaux.

The large 640 acre estate is known as Villa Sorriso, (which is translated to “Villa of Smiles”) was originally purchased by Robin Williams in 1994. The sprawling 640 acre estate is situated at the end of Wall Road, which takes its name from Duane Wall. Duane Wall was the sales rep for Nadalie, French oak barrels the in the Napa Valley for several years. 

The Robin Williams Napa property includes slightly more than 18 acres cultivated with vines that are planted on Mt. Veeder. Additionally, the deal includes a magnificent 2 story Italian styled villa, movie theater, 5 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, tennis court and infinity pool in a tidy, 20,000 square feet home. A barn and stables are also part of the property, which is a good thing as they use horses to work the vineyards at Pontet Canet in Bordeaux and they might also use horses in the Napa Valley,

The 18 acres of vines are ideally placed in the Mt. Veeder appellation, high up, in the cooler terroir of the Mayacamas Mountains. The vines are planted to the type of Left Bank Bordeaux grape varieties that the Tesseron family are familiar with; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The grapes were previously sold to other growers including Robert Craig and Rombauer. It is unknown how much of the additional acreage is able to be planted at this point. Mt. Veeder, with its volcanic soils is best known for producing, tannic, powerful, age worthy, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon wines.