2015 Realm "The Bard" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend

“Coming from a scorching hot vintage, it stays pure and beautifully balanced, with notable freshness in its darker fruits, tobacco, vanilla bean, violets, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. With beautiful ripeness, full-bodied richness, and incredible opulence on the palate as well as silky tannins, this singular Cabernet is going to evolve beautifully on its concentration, depth of fruit, and balance.” (08/2020)

“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. (LPB)” (10/2017)

“Amazing aromas of blackcurrants and black licorice with blue fruit. Hints of burnt orange peel. Full-bodied, very tight and refined on the palate. Tight and beautiful.” (05/2018)

“The 2015 expression of The Bard is pleasantly light on its feet, with red and purple flowers on the nose along with toasted straw. Raspberry compote covers the palate, while fine and precise tannins move through the bright, refreshing finish. 2015 Napa Cabernets seem to represent ripeness but also restraint, as is the case here. (ML)” (04/2019)

“The Bard' is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot which was sourced from Beckstoffer To Kalon and Dr. Crane, Blair Vineyard, Weitz Vineyard, Fortuna Vineyard and Beckstoffer Orchard. This wine bursts open both aromas of crème de cassis, tar, cigar box and anise all soaring from the glass. The density and mouthfeel is gorgeous, as flavors of crème de cassis, mocha, anise, sweet pipe tobacco and black cherry reduction continue to resonate through the long, multidimensional finish. A sensational wine from the team at Realm, that should evolve gracefully for many years to come. (OB)” (08/2017)

“The 2015 The Bard is a gorgeous wine, but it also needs time in the glass to be at its most expressive. Today, it is the wine's explosive fruit and intensity that really come through. Lavender, violet, menthol and spice weave through a core of inky dark fruit. The 2015 is a brilliant wine that is now starting to show quite a bit of nuance. The resonant finish is so inviting. (AG)” (03/2022)