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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 95.7 pts. and median of 96 pts. in 11 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Artbreadman on 1/27/2024 & rated 97 points: Solid day one. Then Corivined for 3 days. So much better on day 4. Deep spices, anise, cocoa. Almost imperceptible smoke. Constant emery paper gritty tannins last for minutes after each sip. (2041 views) | | | Tasted by Geaux Tigers on 10/22/2023 & rated 92 points: 2 hr double decant, but really need 3-4 hr. Young, big, tannic, vanilla from the oak, plum, some darker fruit. Really needs more time sideways. Try again in 2027-2028. (2204 views) | | | Tasted by ews3 on 10/13/2023: corked - could see underlying quality that was there from a few tastes (1989 views) | | | Tasted by AGELVIS on 9/9/2023 & rated 96 points: I’ve been wanting to try this based on others’ high praise here in CT. The adulation was merited.
Three and a half hour slow ox, followed by a 90-minute decantNearly opaque vibrant magenta color. Blackberry, boysenberry, coconut cream pie, milk chocolate, violet, and subtle thyme. Very dry, velvety palate, with alive, active acidity. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
This strikes an interesting balance between Bordeaux elegance and Napa fruit and power. Great mouthfeel and plush, spirited tannic structure. The fruit is currently a touch restrained, but the nose is beautiful nonetheless.
I’ll try to wait a year or two for the next bottle. Should be richer and more integrated, although it’s surprisingly integrated for its youth. (2873 views) | | | Tasted by Bob23 on 2/10/2023 & rated 95 points: Double decanted and then left in bottle for 24 hours - did the trick nicely. Allowed good dark fruit with some savory tones to emerge, with only the last barely noticeable whiff of sweet oak. Delicious, but I’m going to leave my other bottles alone for 5+ years. (2764 views) | | | Tasted by happy712 on 11/27/2022 & rated 96 points: Decanted 8 hours. Still could have used a few more hours. Rich and creamy. Slightly bitter. Phenomenal nose. Drink with salty meat and cheese. (2851 views) | | | Tasted by Cristal2000 on 11/4/2022 & rated 96 points: The interesting Blair version of Bard...an SVD, but shares the name "Bard" with the 7000 case blend and apparently this may be the only version of it. Not sure how they came up with that, but I was willing to roll with it to the tune of three bottles. Only about double the price, so my fiscal side was sleeping again, as tends to happen with wine. After that mess of an intro, I have to say, this is really good wine.
Right now the best part of this wine is the bouquet (aroma, nose..etc). It is soooo striking, with violets jumping out glass bringing with it blackberry pie, crushed rock, forest floor and deep, grainy earthy notes. That's a $500 napa nose right there - amazing. The nose led me to believe this was going to be rich and possibly extracted, but shockingly, it's restrained, with excellent balance a great purity, The tannins are powerful, but sweet and integrated, and the spine is powerful, bringing great overall structure. It is by no means a fruit bomb either, with really impressive savory notes to complement the deep purple expressive fruit. Powerful and somewhat tannic finish. Overall, this is really good and better than the "blend" Bard. I don't think it will keep up with the more established Realm SVD's over long periods of time, but for the next 5 years or so, this is going to be fabulous. (4274 views) | | | Tasted by #1Winelover on 10/23/2022 & rated 97 points: First bottle of this gem and it does remind me of the excellent The Bards from earlier vintages, circa 2012 and 2013. The Blair Vineyard is in Calistoga and this wine looks and smells like Calistoga in a good way.
Full in body, The Bard Blair (which is a stupid/curious name because The Bard is a blend of vineyards and this is a single vineyard designated wine) looks like red, purple and black but tastes like blue and black fruit.
This wine is also signature Benoit Touquette -- Big, rich, not extracted at all, silky smooth and with a mouth coating finish that goes on and on. Blackberry, blueberry, currant, milk chocolate, coffee, and licorice. The gravel and mineral component is just excellent and is prominant from the 1st sip, mid-palate and on the finish.
I would rate this 97. It should get better as it has more air in my decanter for today and over the coming years. (4051 views) |
| By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (2/24/2022)
(Realm Cellars Napa Valley The Bard Blair Edition, Red, United States) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, The 2019 Napa Valley Cabernets: A Deep Dive (Jan 2022) (1/1/2022)
(Realm The Bard Blair Edition Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Napa Valley's 2019s: Part 1 (12/21/2021)
(Realm The Bard Blair Edition) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Parts 1 & 2 (Jan 2021) (1/1/2021)
(Realm The Bard Blair Edition Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JamesSuckling.com and Vinous and JebDunnuck.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Realm Cellars Producer websiteRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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