{"product_id":"realm-cellars-the-bard-bordeaux-red-blend-napa-valley-california-2021","title":"Realm Cellars, The Bard, Bordeaux Red Blend, Napa Valley, California, 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/Realm_The_Wine_Independent_Feb_2024.pdf?v=1709319850\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eClick Here to Read this Article\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOverview of the Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\"'This blessed plot, this earth, this realm...' Immortal lines from William Shakespeare’s King Richard II, the source of Realm’s – and this wine’s – name. We’ve made this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend since 2003, our tribute to the great wines of Bordeaux’s Left Bank. We consider The Bard to be the quintessential wine of Realm: a dense, weighty and concentrated wine that year in and year out showcases the very best Cabernet Sauvignon of Napa Valley. Beckstoffer To Kalon and Dr. Crane, Blair Vineyard, Weitz Vineyard, Fortuna Vineyard and Beckstoffer Orchard have all found a place in The Bard. While the composition of the wine varies from year to year, Cabernet Sauvignon typically comprises over 70% of the blend, joined by lesser percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and\/or Petit Verdot.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRealm Cellars is a journey. Just eight years ago, the winery was nearly bankrupt when owner Scott Becker and winemaker Benoit Touquette teamed up to revive it. Fueled by a clear vision, an entrepreneurial spirit and relentless determination, they transformed Realm into one of the most electrifying domaines in Napa Valley today. Now with its own hillside Estate in the Stags Leap District, 50 acres of vines and access to a number of the finest vineyards in the appellation, Realm makes some of the most sought-after wines in Napa Valley. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaking wine at the very highest level is at the core of Realm Cellars. Since 2012, the wines have been awarded more 100-point scores from internationally recognized wine critics than any other producer in Napa Valley. The Realm portfolio includes both Single Vineyard wines and Proprietary Blends – collectively, the wines are equal parts an expression of the land and an articulation of the winemaking craft. The house style of Realm can best be described as a creative tension between richness and precision, density and finesse, purity of fruit and nuance. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe next chapter of Realm Cellars promises to be just as bold. The vision for what Realm can be encompasses more than creating fine wines. This passionate team is ready to push ahead in its relentless quest to secure an enduring place among the icons of the wine world. The best is yet to come.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eWinemaker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eBenoit Touquette\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrape \/ Blend\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Petite Sirah\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrigin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eNapa Valley, California\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eWinemaker's Tasting Notes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eRed, blue and black fruit jumps out of the glass; the black fruit may be more dominant\/hedonistic yet the wine shows brightness and finesse. This is a sexy, creamy, juicy The Bard, with spiciness and a savory umami quality that leaves you wanting more. The wine hits on all cylinders; it’s perfumed, layered and complex, ending with a note of licorice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Bard always punches above its weight, and with multiple dimensions coming together in harmony, there is more than meets the eye in this complex wine. Outstanding vineyards such as Beckstoffer To Kalon, Beckstoffer Bourn, Blair, Houyi, Larkmead, Realm SLD Estate, Farella, Orchard and Bettinelli Upper Range have all found a place in the wine. While the composition of The Bard varies from year to year, Cabernet Sauvignon typically comprises over 70% of the blend, joined by lesser percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLastly, the 2021 The Bard checks in as 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. This beauty has a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, chalky minerality, and violets. This carries to a full-bodied, seamless, silky, flawlessly balanced effort revealing fine tannins, a good sense of freshness, and a thrilling finish.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e97 Points - The Wine Independent  \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"search-result-date\"\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Petite Sirah, the fruit for the 2021 The Bard comes from sites across the valley, including some estate fruit and some sourced fruit. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shoots from the glass with vibrant notions of crushed black currants, red currant jelly, black raspberries, and pencil shavings, giving way to notes of lilacs, dark chocolate, and a waft of spearmint. The full-bodied palate is firm with ripe, fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone framing the tightly wound red, black, and blue fruit flavors, finishing with great length and a real skip in its step.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/Realm_Cellars_vineyard_2_480x480.jpg?v=1593715478\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eProduct size: 750ml\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"USA Wine West","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47481980125489,"sku":null,"price":179.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/RealmCellars_TheBard_BordeauxRedBlend_NapaValley_California_2021.jpg?v=1706897651","url":"https:\/\/marchantofwine.com\/products\/realm-cellars-the-bard-bordeaux-red-blend-napa-valley-california-2021","provider":"Merchant of Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}