Realm Wine at Flickinger Wines

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USA Red

Realm

2021

Beckstoffer Bourn Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$276.25

2014

Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$450

WA 99 (12/2016): There are 400 cases of the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, which is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. This comes from the backstreets of St. Helena and the site basically looks like a quarry with its extreme gravelly soils. The wine is made from clone 337, which may be my favorite of the Cabernet clones. As I have said before, this is a Mission Haut-Brion on steroids – an incredibly fabulous wine with notes of scorched earth, charcoal embers, blackberry and blueberry fruit, an almost endless mouthfeel with powerful fruit, but elegance as well as purity. A thoroughly flawless and seamless full-bodied wine with 30 years of upside, this is pure perfection. If you have the patience, try to hold off for a couple of years, as this is one of the more structured of the 2014s.

2015

Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$550

JD 100 (12/2017): One of the most profound young wines I’ve ever tasted is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane. Of all the high scoring wines in this report, if I had to pick one to put at the top of the heap, this would be it. My notes are filled with expletives, but this majestic, opulent, heavenly red boasts a deep purple color and La Mission Haut Brion-like notes of tobacco leaf, blackcurrants, earthy/rocky minerality, cigar box, blueberries, and Asian spices. Huge, opulent, and voluptuous, with a mid-palate that needs to be tasted to be believed, it has no hard edges, incredible density, ripe tannin, and a great, great finish. Don’t miss it and hats off to winemaker Benoit Touquette.

WA 100 (10/2017): Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard is an absolute stunner, sporting an inky purple-black color and show-stopping nose of crème de cassis and blackberry pie laced with cumin seed, fenugreek, black pepper and cardamom, plus a transporting earthy undercurrent of black loam, moss-covered tree bark and forest floor. The palate delivers a wall of muscular black fruit accented by exotic spices and decadent floral notions, framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with epic length and many, many layers. Amazing. Just 325 cases were made.

JS 96 (5/2018): Powerful aromas of dark fruit with rust and crushed stones. Oyster shell, too. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, layered and powerful. Lots of toasted oak, but tight and focused. Needs time to come together. Try in 2022.

2022

Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$290

WA 96+ (6/2025): A big, muscular wine, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard is loaded with black cherry fruit and graced by hints of dark chocolate and mocha. It's the last vintage to include a smidgeon of Petit Verdot (4%), a full-bodied, richly tannic but ripe effort, with a long, harmonious finish.

JD 96 (1/2025): Another wine showing a fresher, juicy style, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard comes from unquestionably one of the finest vineyards in Napa Valley. This deep purple-hued effort offers a lively nose of ripe plums, chocolate, violets, and graphite, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate with fine, nicely integrated tannins, terrific overall balance, and outstanding length. It's a touch more reserved compared to the To Kalon, so give bottles a few years. It should evolve gracefully through at least 2037.

2022

Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$625

2022

Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$325

JD 97 (1/2025): I love the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, which might be the finest 2022 from this estate. Darker berries, red plums, tobacco, incense, and chocolaty nuances all shine here, and this beauty is full-bodied, has a rich, layered mouthfeel, sweet, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It shows the early pick dates with its fresher, vibrant style yet still brings beautiful depth, richness, and concentration. It will keep for 15+ years. (Drink between 2025-2040).

WA 95 (6/2025): The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard incorporates 6% Cabernet Franc into the assemblage. Complex aromas range from cedar, loam and dried spices to restrained black cherries and black olives. It's full-bodied, supple, savory and long, with a slightly tannic edge to the finish. It could be a touch more concentrated, but that's nitpicking at this quality level.

VM 92 (12/2024): The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard is supple and juicy, qualities that will be best appreciated on the early side. It offers tons of forward appeal, if not quite the dimension, power of intensity of the best years. There's no way to get past the challenges of the brutal heat here. (Drink between 2025-2032). Antonio Galloni.

2014

Farella Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$235

WA 96 (12/2016): Their 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard (425 cases), is made from a vineyard planted in red volcanic tufa soils. The irony is that just about everybody that buys fruit from this vineyard makes better wine than the owner. This is a terrific, almost Bordeaux-inspired wine with loads of minerality and structure, but intense chocolaty, charcoal notes intermixed with blackcurrant, licorice and forest floor. It is dense, full-bodied, stunningly rich and can be drunk now or cellared for another two decades.

VM 95 (1/2025): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard shows how compelling this site is, exploding from the glass with black cherry, plum, licorice, cloves, menthol and sage. All things considered, the 2014 has aged beautifully. It naturally displays the savoriness of this vineyard and the linear style of the year. Drink it over the next five to ten years. (Drink between 2024-2032). Antonio Galloni.

2015

Farella Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$214

WA 98 (10/2017): Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from a vineyard in the relatively cooler AVA of Coombsville, the opaque purple-black colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard reveals notes of spice cake, star anise and cloves over a core of warm plums, red and black currants and black olives, plus a hint of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied, taut, firmly structured palate gives up vibrant fruit and a long, mineral-laced finish.

VM 94 (11/2025): The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard is a wild, exotic beauty. The advantages of a cool site in this torrid vintage are evident. A rush of red-toned fruit, wild flowers, vanillin and sweet oak notes open first. The aromatics alone are so alluring. All things considered, the 2015 has aged impeccably. (Drink between 2025-2032). Antonio Galloni.

2014

Houyi Vyd. Proprietary Blend

$240

WA 97 (12/2016): From Pritchard Hill, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard Pritchard Hill is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the iron-rich, red soils of that famous hill above the Oakville crossroads. There are 425 cases of this wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon clones 4, 7 and 337. The Houyi Vineyard, owned by the Changs, is in an expensive neighborhood of superstars, including Brand, David Arthur and Colgin. Well above the fog-line, this area gets very warm days with plenty of UV sunshine and cool nights, which give this wine great acidity to go along with its stunning display of chocolaty, blackcurrant fruit intermixed with blackberry, graphite and forest floor. There are some spring flowers as well. A full-bodied, stunning wine, very much in the Realm style, it should drink well for 20+ years.

2015

Houyi Vyd. Proprietary Blend

$215

JD 97 (12/2017): From a site on Pritchard Hill farmed by David Abreu, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard is another big, opulent beauty that has terrific minerality (I wrote Graves-like in my notes) as well as loads of blackcurrant, smoked earth, graphite, and chocolate aromas and flavors. With a stacked mid-palate, sweet tannin, and an expansive, opulent personality, drink it anytime over the coming two decades.

2014

Moonracer Proprietary Blend

$289

WA 96 (12/2016): Realm's estate wine comes from their new home vineyard, where all the renovation is taking place, at the 22-acre Stags Leap estate. Only 400 cases were made in 2014 of the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon The Estate-Moonracer, a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot from four separate Cabernet clones. While the wine remains the same, each “bottle” is completely different, which is rather amazing. This wine shows plenty of floral notes, white chocolate, red and blackcurrants, cedar wood and loamy soil undertones. It is a beauty – elegant, yet intense and authoritative. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

VM 95 (1/2025): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Moonracer is one of the best wines in this range. It is a barrel selection from a variety of blocks, including those at the top of the estate that are now bottled as Hartwell XX. Inky, deep and layered, this is still a very young wine. Rich, dark fruit, chocolate, licorice and spice build through the finish. The 2014 has aged so well. (Drink between 2024-2032). Antonio Galloni.

2015

Moonracer Proprietary Blend

$269

WA 96 (10/2017): Blended of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon The Estate-Moonracer features compelling red and black currant notes laced with sandalwood, cinnamon stick, cedar chest, cigar boxes, dried leaves and dusty soil. The muscular, medium to full-bodied palate fills the mouth with lively red and black fruit layers, framed by wonderfully fine, pixelated tannins, finishing long and spicy.

VM 93 (11/2025): The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Moonracer is soft, open-knit and expressive. Black cherry, lavender, mocha, chocolate, truffle and licorice show the gentle patina of age. Now at its first plateau of maturity, the Moonracer is peaking today. The 2015 was initially made as a Hartwell wine and was purchased by Realm as part of their acquisition of the estate. It was made from some of the warmest south-facing blocks on the property that have since been replanted. (Drink between 2025-2030). Antonio Galloni.

2013

The Absurd Proprietary Blend

$950

WA 100 (12/2015): Another perfect wine (but very limited in production at 200 cases) is the 2013 The Absurd, a blend of 17 components dominated by 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Winemaker Benoit Touquette told me that this wine is produced with no rules and no restrictions, and is considered their super-blend of the best they have in any given vintage. (I guess I would look stupid if I didn't give it 100 points, given the fact that two other Realm wines already hit that maximum score.) There is something different in this wine, with an opaque purple color for sure, but then there's the cassis, the blackberries, the roasted meats, some spicy pepper, and then an extravagantly rich, cascading palate that seems to be built like a skyscraper, but without one hard edge. This is a seriously endowed, super-rich, incredibly well-balanced wine that should drink well for 25 or more years.

VM 95 (10/2015): A dark, unctuous Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Absurd is a terrific example of the Realm style at its best. Surprisingly open for such a young wine, the 2013 offers gorgeous textural richness and voluptuousness. Sweet dark cherry, blackberry, mocha, spices and crushed rocks are laced into the powerful yet seamless finish. The Absurd is remarkably nuanced for a wine with this much intensity. Antonio Galloni.

2005

The Absurd The Birdwatcher Proprietary Blend

$525

2005

The Absurd The Gardener Proprietary Blend

$525

2005

The Absurd The Magician Proprietary Blend

$525

2022

The Bard Blair Edition Red Wine

$135

2008

The Bard Proprietary Blend

$100

VM 91+ (5/2011): (14.9% alcohol; 81% cabernet sauvignon with 13% petit verdot and 6% malbec): Full ruby. Reticent but pure aromas of black cherry, cassis, menthol and woodsmoke. Lush and sweet on entry, then a bit youthfully clenched in the middle, with bright acidity framing the purple fruit, chocolate and licorice flavors. In a tougher and more obviously tannic style than the Falstaff bottling and in need of at least three or four years of bottle aging. Stephen Tanzer.

2009

The Bard Proprietary Blend

$100

WA 92 (12/2011): The 2009 The Bard is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a dash (7%) of Petit Verdot. It possesses striking inner perfume and dazzling richness in its fruit, with layers of flavor that build effortlessly to the textured, vivid finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.

2014

The Bard Proprietary Blend

$159

JD 97 (3/2022): he 2014 The Bard shows off the more mid-weight, savory style of the year nicely. Grilled herbs, dried flowers, plum, black cherry and gravel notes all open up in a bright, tightly wound wine that needs aeration to be at its best. I expect the 2014 will always remain a bit nervous in feel, as is quite common in this vintage. (Drink between 2021-2031).

WA 95 (12/2016): The 2014 The Bard is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot. This is their largest cuvee of 2,000 cases. The wine shows exciting elegance, purity, a dense purple color, sweet black currant and blackberry fruit intermixed with licorice and charcoal. It is full-bodied, showing nice loamy forest floor notes. It also possesses a layered mouthfeel and terrific purity, texture and length. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

VM 92 (1/2025): The 2014 The Bard is a heady, bombastic wine. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, leather and chocolate are all dialed up to the maximum. Overt and dense, with gorgeous richness, the 2014 has a lot to offer. This has opened nicely with time in bottle, more so than I had originally envisaged. Drink it over the next five to ten years. (Drink between 2024-2031). Antonio Galloni.

2015

The Bard Proprietary Blend

$169

JD 98+ (12/2017): Last of the blends, the 2015 The Bard checks in as 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Like the Falstaff, it has a terrific purity and freshness as well as full-bodied richness and depth. Blackberries, currants, liquid rock, and tobacco all give way to a gorgeous, deep, layered Cabernet Sauvignon that’s still tight, backward and reserved on the palate. Give bottles 3-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades.

WA 97 (10/2017): Blended of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2015 The Bard offers up a very deep garnet-purple color and highly perfumed scents of violets, dried Provence herbs, lavender and tapenade over a core of cassis and blackberry preserves. Full-bodied and loaded with perfumed black fruit layers, it has a solid frame of rounded, plush-textured tannins and a provocatively earthy finish. 2,000 cases were made.

2016

The Bard Proprietary Blend

$195

WA 98 (10/2018): A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot from 21 different lots from 11 different vineyards, the 2016 The Bard is very deep purple-black in color and sashays out of the glass with strikingly beautiful violets, warm cassis, star anise and chocolate mint notes with hints of wood smoke, tobacco and kirsch, with blackberry compote at the core. Full, muscular and built like a brick house with layer upon layer of black, blue and red fruits, it finishes very long and savory.

JD 97 (1/2019): The Left Bank Bordeaux-themed release, the 2016 The Bard checks in as roughly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. This cuvee is sourced from sites such as To Kolan, Dr. Crane, Weitz, and Fortuna as well as a few others, and is brought up in plenty of new oak. It has a mammoth bouquet of crème de cassis and blueberry fruits intermixed with ground herbs, graphite, chocolate, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, opulent and layered on the palate, with a powerful yet balanced, incredibly classic style, it has a certain approachability today but is going to cruise for two decades. It’s a brilliant wine.

JS 97 (10/2018): This is really glorious with blackberries and licorice. Lavender, too. Full body, round and soft tannins and a gorgeous center palate of ripe fruit and a fresh, linear finish. Drink or hold.

2011

The Falstaff Proprietary Blend

$99

VM 91+ (11/2013): The 2011 Falstaff wraps around the palate with plum, mocha, espresso, licorice and menthol. A decidedly rich, voluptuous wine for the year, the 2011 stands out for its pure texture, immediacy and grace. There are no angular contours whatsoever in this supremely inviting Cabernet Franc-based red. Today, the 2011 is a bit tight, but it should soften with further time in bottle. In 2011, the blend is 60% Cabernet Franc (from Englehard) and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon (from Blair and Dr. Crane). Antonio Galloni.

2004

The Tempest Proprietary Blend

$100

WA 91 (12/2006): The impressive 2004 The Tempest, a 524-case blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot, exhibits an inky/ruby/purple color as well as a big, rich nose of melted licorice, white chocolate, espresso, blackberries, and cherries. Super-pure, intense, and silky-textured, this stunning wine will drink beautifully for 8-12 years.

VM 89 (6/2007): Ruby-red. Aromas of plum, redcurrant, tobacco and minerals. Sweet and plump, with sound acids framing the black plum and spice flavors. Finishes with dusty tannins and good juicy persistence.

2008

The Tempest Proprietary Blend

$95

WA 94 (12/2010): The 2008 The Tempest (a blend of 50% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot) is a tribute to the Right Bank wines of Bordeaux. Its opaque purple color is followed by abundant aromas of graphite, white chocolate, blackberries and cassis. This is an extraordinarily endearing wine, already irresistible, and it should drink well for at least a decade or more. Virtually all of the grapes came from the Stagecoach Vineyard in the hills east of Oakville, with a small quantity of Petit Verdot coming from the Dr. Crane Vineyard in St. Helena.

2009

The Tempest Proprietary Blend

$85

VM 92 (5/2012): (53% merlot, 42% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot): Good full ruby-red. Aromas of black fruits, minerals, licorice and spicy oak. Dense, bright and concentrated, with a slightly high-toned character to the rather plush flavors of cassis and bitter chocolate. A bit youthfully medicinal today, not particularly sweet but structured to age. A step up in depth and structure from the Bard and the Falstaff bottlings, combining the texture of merlot with the firm spine of cabernet.

USA White

Realm

2021

Fidelio Sauvignon Blanc

$79

2017

Fidelio White Wine

$85

VM 93 (3/2022): The 2017 Fidelio is a racy, textured white. Apricot, mint and a range of tropical overtones build effortlessly. A hint of reduction adds freshness without overpowering the wine. There's lovely richness and depth here. Antonio Galloni.