90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot from Realm Cellar's Moonracer vineyard on Wappo Hill in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley with fragmented sandstone and volcanic soils and eastern/southern exposure. No production details available. 14.6% Abv.
Owner: Scott Becker Co-Owner/Winemaker: Benoit Touquette
Label art is generated by computer algorithm designed by Sergio Albiac with meteorological data from the vineyard as input as printed at bottom of label. Hence a unique label for each bottle!
A(ccuray)=2: Deep ruby/purple. Dense robust Napa Cab. B(alance)=2: Distinctive components awaiting full integration. C(omplexity)=3: Crème de cassis, plum, potpourri, mint, graphite, licorice, cacao. D(epth)=2: Textured mouthfeel. Full palate and long finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,3,2] = 9/10
Tour de force, yet elegant.
For story-telling label graphics, see: [https://www.instagram.com/p/CyLKJh6SHKB/] [https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/] For video explanation (in 8 languages), see Wine Tally on [https://www.youtube.com]
Mother's Day wine with dinner. Almost opaque and tons of dark fruit, with cassis and pencil shavings. 40 second finish with great structure and more room to climb
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Friends of Musique et Vin Gala (French Club, San Francisco): Opaque color. Big, rich, hint of herbs, and tremendous depth of black and blue fruit. I don't have much affinity for these wines but could appreciate the balance for the level of concentration.
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This rich and brooding Cabernet needs several hours of air - or several more years of age - in order to show its considerable potential. Dark purple in color and full in body, the wine offers aromas of boysenberry, espresso, and peppercorn. The flavors are similarly dark and stormy, with notes of dark chocolate, fresh embers (of the non-smoke-taint variety), graphite, and black cherry, with a tannic and vibrant, almost pulsating finish. Blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. 14.6% alcohol.
Perhaps this is a grumpy stage for the vintage (can anyone say, "adolescence"?), but the 2018 is nowhere near as polished or agreeable as the 2014, 2015, or 2016 at their 3-4 year mark. My suspicion is that, ultimately, this is because the 2018 is better (more dense, layered, etc.), but it will definitely require more time to blossom. 93-94 at the moment, but ideally wait until 2024 (or later) to open.
Rating is for potential after many more years in the cellar or over a day long decant. Currently about a 93 with 5 hour decant. The nose is exquisite and deceives you into thinking it’s ready. Taste is muted and does not give away much fruit at all. Complexity is there, with long finish, but the fruit component is not quite developed yet.
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Very young and will drastically improve with age. Inky dark color, graphite and menthol with tons of dark fruit. Tannins deep but mellow over decanting time. Long finish of 40 plus seconds
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12 months later and a 12 hour decant. Tart on the PnP, after 12 hours has a nice dark fruit nose, tannins softening but present. Still looking for a more expansive mouthfeel, hopefully it develops over time.
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The most closed 2018 I’ve encountered yet. Original plan was 36 hours in a decanter in the cellar. If was giving nothing. One day later back in the bottle under cork it started to show its stuff. Possibly should have checked on this earlier in the decanter but 3 days later I feel like it was just starting to show. It will be a great wine one day: dark berry notes, a bit of sweetness and lots of structure. I’ll check back in a year but no sooner.
This is just massive; After being open and decanted for 5 hours there is kirsch on the nose and a bit of darker fruit - the tannins are just overwhelming. I didn’t think it would be possible for a Myriad G3 to taste light, but just give it a go after trying this behemoth. So eventually day 3 rolls around and the tannins are still there - the kirsch is still there as well but harmonizes with a bit of anise, currant, and spice box. I’ve never been much for the long game and struggle with the prospect of a 30 year wine, but this time, I can’t imagine opening my other bottle of this sooner than a decade. This bottle forces you to feel and taste the potential unlike any I’ve had before. Will check in again 9 years and 362 days from now with bottle number 2. 96+
10/6/2023 - WineTally Likes this wine:
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
from Realm Cellar's Moonracer vineyard on Wappo Hill
in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley
with fragmented sandstone and volcanic soils and eastern/southern exposure.
No production details available.
14.6% Abv.
Owner: Scott Becker
Co-Owner/Winemaker: Benoit Touquette
Label art is generated by computer algorithm designed by Sergio Albiac
with meteorological data from the vineyard as input as printed at
bottom of label. Hence a unique label for each bottle!
A(ccuray)=2: Deep ruby/purple. Dense robust Napa Cab.
B(alance)=2: Distinctive components awaiting full integration.
C(omplexity)=3: Crème de cassis, plum, potpourri, mint, graphite, licorice, cacao.
D(epth)=2: Textured mouthfeel. Full palate and long finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,3,2] = 9/10
Tour de force, yet elegant.
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/CyLKJh6SHKB/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For video explanation (in 8 languages), see
Wine Tally on [https://www.youtube.com]
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
5/14/2023 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 95 Points
Mother's Day wine with dinner. Almost opaque and tons of dark fruit, with cassis and pencil shavings. 40 second finish with great structure and more room to climb
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2022 - drwine2001 wrote:
Friends of Musique et Vin Gala (French Club, San Francisco): Opaque color. Big, rich, hint of herbs, and tremendous depth of black and blue fruit. I don't have much affinity for these wines but could appreciate the balance for the level of concentration.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2022 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This rich and brooding Cabernet needs several hours of air - or several more years of age - in order to show its considerable potential. Dark purple in color and full in body, the wine offers aromas of boysenberry, espresso, and peppercorn. The flavors are similarly dark and stormy, with notes of dark chocolate, fresh embers (of the non-smoke-taint variety), graphite, and black cherry, with a tannic and vibrant, almost pulsating finish. Blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. 14.6% alcohol.
Perhaps this is a grumpy stage for the vintage (can anyone say, "adolescence"?), but the 2018 is nowhere near as polished or agreeable as the 2014, 2015, or 2016 at their 3-4 year mark. My suspicion is that, ultimately, this is because the 2018 is better (more dense, layered, etc.), but it will definitely require more time to blossom. 93-94 at the moment, but ideally wait until 2024 (or later) to open.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/21/2022 - happy712 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Rating is for potential after many more years in the cellar or over a day long decant. Currently about a 93 with 5 hour decant. The nose is exquisite and deceives you into thinking it’s ready. Taste is muted and does not give away much fruit at all. Complexity is there, with long finish, but the fruit component is not quite developed yet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2022 - Tonythefish wrote: 95 Points
Very young and will drastically improve with age. Inky dark color, graphite and menthol with tons of dark fruit. Tannins deep but mellow over decanting time. Long finish of 40 plus seconds
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1/17/2022 - HeritageWine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still too young.
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12/10/2021 - eschuldt wrote: 96 Points
12 months later and a 12 hour decant. Tart on the PnP, after 12 hours has a nice dark fruit nose, tannins softening but present. Still looking for a more expansive mouthfeel, hopefully it develops over time.
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9/2/2021 - fanglangzhe wrote: 87 Points
ripe dark fruits, balanced oak, drying tannins at the finish.
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11/22/2020 - eschuldt wrote: 95 Points
The most closed 2018 I’ve encountered yet. Original plan was 36 hours in a decanter in the cellar. If was giving nothing. One day later back in the bottle under cork it started to show its stuff. Possibly should have checked on this earlier in the decanter but 3 days later I feel like it was just starting to show. It will be a great wine one day: dark berry notes, a bit of sweetness and lots of structure. I’ll check back in a year but no sooner.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/22/2020 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is just massive; After being open and decanted for 5 hours there is kirsch on the nose and a bit of darker fruit - the tannins are just overwhelming. I didn’t think it would be possible for a Myriad G3 to taste light, but just give it a go after trying this behemoth. So eventually day 3 rolls around and the tannins are still there - the kirsch is still there as well but harmonizes with a bit of anise, currant, and spice box. I’ve never been much for the long game and struggle with the prospect of a 30 year wine, but this time, I can’t imagine opening my other bottle of this sooner than a decade. This bottle forces you to feel and taste the potential unlike any I’ve had before. Will check in again 9 years and 362 days from now with bottle number 2. 96+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)