Realm Cellars 'The Bard' Red Blend, Napa Valley, California 2022

Founded in 2002 and rebuilt into one of Napa's most closely watched cult producers, Realm Cellars has built its reputation on Cabernet-driven wines sourced from an enviable roster of Napa Valley vineyard sites spanning Coombsville to Calistoga. The Bard, made every year since 2003, is the winery's flagship and calling card — a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated proprietary blend assembled from across Realm's full portfolio of contract and estate sites, intended to showcase the valley's range in a single wine. WINEMAKER: The 2022 vintage was made under longtime winemaker Benoit Touquette, who transitioned to a consulting role in early 2025 when Kelly Fields (Winemaker) and Chris Cooney (Chief of Winegrowing) joined FARMING: Practicing sustainable, regenerative, and organic methods across all vineyards VARIETY: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Petite Sirah, 1% Charbono. TERROIR: A valley-wide blend drawing from Napa Valley's full range of exposures — Coombsville to Calistoga, east side to west side, hillside to valley floor. Component vineyards include Beckstoffer To Kalon, Blair (Calistoga), Houyi, Moon Racer, Farella, and Bettinelli Upper Range, with Petite Sirah from Bourn and Charbono from Tofanelli rounding out the blend. VINIFICATION: Free-run and press lots fermented separately in stainless steel, with press fractions blended back gradually. AGING: Aged in a combination of new and used French oak, concrete egg, and clay amphora, with the ratio tailored by vineyard site. FOOD PAIRINGS: Dry-aged ribeye, braised short rib, or hard aged cheeses — a wine with enough density and structure to stand up to rich, fat-driven dishes. SCORES: Decanter, 95 points (2022).