As always, the blend of the 2022 The Absurd isn't released, but it's nevertheless a selection of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon from all the sites this team works with. It's in the running for the wine of the vintage and has a deep, saturated purple hue as well as brilliant aromatics of darker currants, plums, smoke tobacco, violets, and incense, and it picks up a lively sense of minerality with time in the glass. Full-bodied, nicely concentrated, with ample mid-palate depth and ripe tannins, it's a rock solid, sure bet of a 2022 that will evolve gracefully for two decades.

Realm’s uber-blend, the 2022 The Absurd is opaque garnet-purple colored. It slowly emerges from the glass with an evocative perfume of garrigue, fallen leaves, fragrant soil, and lilacs, leading to a core of plum pudding, baked black cherries, and mulberries, plus touches of sandalwood and spice cake. The full-bodied palate delivers surprising freshness and tension with plush tannins and bags of black fruit, finishing long and perfumed. Gorgeous! (LPB)

This is their secret weapon—while the blend remains undisclosed, it consistently emerges as the most hedonistic wine of the vintage, driven by a punchy barrel selection. A vibrant saline-spicy acid tension resonates throughout, leading to a long, dry finish supporting dark berry fruit and savoury spice layers. Bay laurel weaves through, framed by suave, plump tannins with plenty of grip and mineral tension. (JC)