Our 11th Year !

$150

VM 93 (5/2009): Bright medium ruby. Redcurrant, minerals and herbs on the intense nose, lifted by a floral element. Juicy, spicy and downright suave, with redcurrant and raspberry flavors complicated by tobacco leaf. Nothing overripe about this 2006. This really spreads out on the palate without leaving any impression of weight. Finishes with smooth tannins and excellent length. Stephen Tanzer.

2008

$225

WA 94+ (12/2010): A brilliant wine (as one might expect, given the source for the raw material) is the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, with the Cabernet Sauvignon coming from the famed Clone 6. This wine (like so many wines from this parcel that is basically a gravel pit) has a very flinty/hot rocks sort of character to the cassis and blackberry fruit, a common element no matter who makes wine from this site. This wine from Realm is like Napa Valley’s version of La Mission Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. It is full-bodied, powerful, flowery, and at the same time, thick, rich and powerful. Giver it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the next 25+ years.

VM 92+ (5/2011): (96% cabernet sauvignon with 4% petit verdot): Good medium ruby. Black- and redcurrant, licorice, bitter chocolate and a musky cedary note on the nose. Juicy, intense and fruit-driven, with complicating smoke and mineral nuances. Offers subtle sweetness but comes across as a bit medicinal and bound-up today. Broadened nicely with aeration but this cabernet needs time. Today the dusty tannins are less refined than those of the To Kalon. Stephen Tanzer.

WS 92 (8/2011): Firm and intense, yet gushing with rich blueberry, blackberry, plum and cassis flavors. Shows great density and concentration, along with a supple lining in texture, finishing with hot stone and pebble notes and a burst of fruit. Best from 2013 through 2022. 145 cases made.

2009

$225

VM 93 (5/2012): Ruby-red. The most perfumed of these 2009s to this point, offering scents of cassis, violet, bitter chocolate and spicecake. Layered, deep and utterly seamless, with ripe acidity giving shape to the plush flavors of blackberry, cassis, cola and chocolate. Dense and smooth but not at all heavy. The rising, very long finish features noble tannins. A very classy 2009 cabernet.

2022

$365

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

$390

2022

$625

2023

Beckstoffer Bourn Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$365

2019

$254.15

JD 97 (12/2021): The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Bourne Vineyard checks in as 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petite Sirah, which is a blend you don’t see very often, and this cuvée has shifted to be more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated in recent vintages. Lots of ripe dark berry fruits, leafy herbs, tobacco, and earthy nuances define the nose, and it’s more up-front and textured on the palate, with velvety tannins and an undeniably delicious, mouth-filling style. The Petite Sirah rounds out the Cabernet here, yet it still has beautiful structure, incredible balance, and a finish that makes you salivate. Drink it any time over the coming 20 years or so.

2021

Beckstoffer Bourn Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$276.25

2006

$250

WS 96 (10/2009): Shows wonderful purity of flavor and focus, with rich, deep, concentrated layers of black cherry, blackberry, currant and plum, shaded by black licorice and mineral and framed by light toasty oak, lively acidity and firm, integrated tannins. Best from 2010 through 2017. 220 cases made.

2008

$175

WA 94+ (12/2010): From Clone 4 and Clone 337, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) is the equivalent of a Bordeaux first or second growth. Sweet creme de cassis notes intermixed with some white chocolate, cedar wood, fruitcake and spice box are all present in this deep bluish/purple-colored wine, which also has hints of lead pencil shavings and tobacco leaf. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and intense, this wine should drink well for at least another 20-25 years.

VM 93+ (5/2011): (like the Farella bottling, this is 100% cabernet sauvignon): Bright medium ruby. Deep, soil-driven aromas of currant, smoke, mocha, milk chocolate and nutty oak. Like liquid silk in the mouth but with enticing minerally lift. Boasts terrific depth but this rich, tactile wine is still a baby and is not yet showing its inherent complexity. Spreads out to dust the entire palate, finishing long, subtle and very suave, with serious but thoroughly ripe tannins. There's nothing heavy or overly sweet about this beauty. Really reverberates on the aftertaste. Stephen Tanzer.

WS 89 (7/2011): Pure and focused, featuring a complex mix of ripe plum and black cherry flavors, with a touch of anise and black licorice notes. Full-bodied, firming on the finish, this shows a chalky edge. Best from 2012 through 2021. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 225 cases made.

2009

$225

WS 94 (8/2012): Deliciously rich blackberry, mocha, black licorice and spicy floral scents lead to a ripe, fleshy and full-bodied palate. Pure and persistent, this is long and elegant on the finish. Drink now through 2025.

2021

$361.25

2022

Farella Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$375

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.

2006

$100

VM 91 (5/2009): Bright ruby-red. Reticent but pure aromas of dark fruits, smoke and flinty minerality; conveys a strong impression of rocks. Plush, sweet and seamless, with a silky texture to the dark berry, smoke and rock flavors. Nothing hot about this Napa cabernet. The big, broad, dusty tannins give this the backbone to age. "Our coolest site," notes winemaker Mike Hirby, adding that the red volcanic clay is also "cool" soil. Stephen Tanzer.

WS 83 (7/2009): Tough going. Dry, herbal and leathery, with earthy currant, graphite, pebble and cedary oak that dominate. While concentrated, it's short on complexity and charm at this point. Best from 2010 through 2016. 445 cases made.

2022

Farella Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon

$215

VM 96 (12/2024): The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard is stellar. Compellingly dark and layered, it melds together spice, licorice, lavender, pine and rose petal. Vibrant and explosive, yet also refined, the Farella shows what is possible when the stars align. This is one of the best and most complete wines in the range. Moreover, the Farella Cabernet provides a very clear example of how well naturally late-ripening sites fared in 2022. (Drink between 2027-2037). Antonio Galloni.

JD 95 (1/2025): Almost all Cabernet Sauvignon yet with 5% Merlot (which started in 2019), the 2022 Farella Vineyard is deep ruby/purple-hued with a deep, layered, medium to full-bodied profile as well as both black and blue fruits, some tobacco, crushed stone, and incense. It’s focused, has beautiful tannins, and outstanding length.

WA 94 (6/2025): Realm's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard incorporates 5% Merlot. Scents of pencil shavings, black cherries and cassis appear on the nose, and while it may lack the floral notes of the 2021, this concentrated medium- to full-bodied wine is still focused and fresh, with echoes of crushed stone on the finish.

2022

Hartwell XX Proprietary Blend

$395

2017

Houyi Vyd. Proprietary Blend

$189

JD 95 (1/2020): The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard comes from Pritchard Hill (from the Nine Suns property) and is all Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in roughly 85% new French oak. It has a rocking blue fruit character as well as full-bodied richness, notes of liquid violets, liquid rock, graphite, and spice, medium to full body, beautiful purity, and outstanding length. It's not a blockbuster, but it’s beautifully balanced and just a classy, elegant wine.

2014

Moonracer Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

$650

JS 98 (1/2017): Deep and dark with dark chocolate, blueberries, currants and black licorice. Wet earth, too. Full-bodied and extremely velvety. Generosity balanced out by suggestions of austerity. Polished and beautiful. Superb. Stag's Leap soul. Give it three to four years to come together. Super. Try in 2021.

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.

2018

The Absurd Proprietary Blend

$825

JD 100 (1/2021): As always, the 2018 Absurd is a cellar selection of what the estate thinks is the absolute best they can do in the vintage, and in this reviewer’s opinion, they succeed brilliantly. (I’ve rated four of the five vintages I’ve tasted 100 points.) The 2018 reveals a dense purple/blue color to go with a monster bouquet of blackcurrants, scorched earth/burning embers, tobacco, lead pencil shavings, chocolate, and gravelly earth. I’ve often compared this wine to a great Pessac from Bordeaux given its incredible minerality and cold fireplace-like nuances, and the 2018 has these in spades. Concentrated, full-bodied, and built like a skyscraper, it builds beautifully with time in the glass and has incredible purity, silky, polished tannins, and a dense, layered mid-palate. As with the majority of Realm’s 2018s, the cellar is going to be your friend, since this needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age, but it will be incredibly long-lived. Hats off to winemaker Benoit Touquette and the entire team at Realm for yet another magical, legendary wine.

WA 99 (10/2020): The 2018 The Absurd—the estate's über-blend of the best elements from the vintage—displays a deep garnet-purple color, offering alluring notes of baked plums, crème de cassis and boysenberries with suggestions of chocolate box, aniseed, iron ore and candied violets plus a perfumed hint of Indian spices. The full-bodied palate is an exercise in decadence, coating the mouth in black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, supported by velvety tannins and beautifully integrated freshness, finishing epically long and fragrant.

2022

The Absurd Proprietary Blend

$700

2005

The Absurd The Birdwatcher Proprietary Blend

$525

2005

The Absurd The Gardener Proprietary Blend

$525

2005

The Absurd The Magician Proprietary Blend

$525

2006

The Bard Proprietary Blend

$125

WA 92 (12/2008): The 2006 The Bard, a combination of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Petit Verdot, and 12% Merlot, offers beautiful notes of graphite, smoked herbs, burning embers, blackberries, and cassis. Ripe, broad fruit flavors are loaded with glycerin and extract. This extravagantly opulent 2006 reveals a long, heady finish with no hard edges. Despite the relatively high percentage of Petit Verdot, it can be drunk now and over the next 12-15+ years.

WS 92 (7/2009): Pure, rich, focused and concentrated, with a supple, graceful mix of ripe plum, currant and black cherry fruit that's both rich and elegant, graceful and balanced, ending with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2017. 160 cases made.

VM 91 (5/2009): (a blend of 64% cabernet sauvignon, 24% petit verdot and 12% merlot) Complex aromas of redcurrant, black cherry, cocoa powder, herbs and mint. Plump and lush, with good life and noteworthy depth to the fruit and spice flavors. The tannins are firm but sweeter than those of the Tempest and the finish boasts lovely aromatic persistence. Stephen Tanzer.

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.

2023

The Bard Proprietary Blend Blair Edition

$159

2009

$109

VM 90+ (5/2012): (55% cabernet franc, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 5% petit verdot): Full red-ruby. Cassis, licorice, tobacco and tarry oak on the nose and palate, complicated by pepper and herbs. Quite dry and light on its feet, showing more herbal lift and definition but less flamboyance today than the Bard. Finishes with suave tannins and good spicy persistence. Seemed to grow firmer in the glass. I'd hold this for a couple years before pulling the cork.

2011

$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.

2012

$169

VM 92 (3/2022): The 2012 Falstaff is such a showy wine, as the best wines are in this vintage. Bright floral and savory notes give the 2012 gorgeous energy to play off the dark plummy fruit. The oak is maybe just a bit pronounced, but there is terrific density and tons of forward appeal. Antonio Galloni.

2019