2018 Realm The Bard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
99 points Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 The Bard checks in as 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, and it’s another dense, rich, powerful wine from this team that readers are going to absolutely love. Coming from throughout the valley (it’s always a great representation of the vintage), it offers up a brilliant nose of crème de cassis, ripe plums, graphite, scorched earth, and chocolate. About as seamless as they come on the palate, it’s full-bodied and has a thrilling texture, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s one of those wines where I feel like I’m overusing adjectives, but it’s warranted.
97 points Antonio Galloni Vinous MediaThe 2019 The Bard Blair Edition is a one-off bottling created as a partial compensation for the total lack of reds in the 2020 vintage. Blair, a site in Calistoga, has long been a core component of The Bard, especially in the 2012/2013 era. In 2019, the Realm team took half of the wine and used it for blending in The Bard, and then bottled the other half as The Blair Edition, Realm's first single-vineyard Calistoga Cabernet. An absolutely stunning wine, the Blair Edition races across palate with captivating richness and energy. Gravel, plum, crème de cassis, chocolate, licorice and cloves give this statuesque red a real feeling of weight and substance. The Blair Edition will be offered in 2022. I won't be surprised if it becomes part of the lineup, as the 2019 is fabulous.
97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the fruit for the 2019 The Bard fetches from Calistoga to Coombsville, including potions from illustrious vineyards such as Dr. Crane, Moonracer, Houyi and Larkmead.
Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose bursts with bold notions of blackcurrant pastilles, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, plus suggestions of violets, star anise and unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of bright, crunchy black and blue fruits, framed by very fine-grained tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing with lots of floral and exotic spice layers. This 2019 is particularly spectacular, drinking beautifully now and yet has the stuffing to cellar beautifully for 20 years+.
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