This was really excellent, and in my opinion, a lovely point in its drinking window. Totally open and aromatic, with a prominent cinnamon stick note. Red fruited, with dusty cocoa coating the finish. Really delicious. It actually has quite of bit of runway ahead, but very much in balance today
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Must have been just the right mix of my mood and this particular bottle because tonight it was a classic 99 pointer for me. Astringent on opening, but a two hour decant and sliiiiight chill really mellowed this out, mellow being the ultimate descriptor of this. Used the Syrah glass. Elegant, fantastic depth of flavor and that signature Realm creaminess. Notes of chocolate, vanilla, smoke/oak, coconut and dark fruit. Thankfully did not get that wall of oak that TEAKY mentioned. Bottle variation alert! For me this was absolutely at peak, but it will last years if you like more maturity in your wine.
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Was hit by a big wall of oak at first so decided to decant. This was one of those wines where every sip was different which are always fun, on the nose get vanilla and coconut at first after a couple hours In the decanter the fruits emerge nice mixture of red and black though black is more dominant, cassis and blackberry dominate with red cherry in the background a bit smoky at times, mouthfeel was a bit astringent but overall very luxurious with low acidity moderate tannins and a very lengthy finish, a very nice wine that needs more time, definitely quite ripe but the oak needs to mellow a bit.
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Wild berry jubilee, cassis, cinnamon, and vanilla Schnapps dominate the profile here. In my previous note a couple of years ago, I characterized the initial experience of this wine as having “a curtain of youthful vanillin booze and cassis-laden liqueur staking claim,” which is certainly still the case with this most recent sample. The power and flex here override the would-be finesse; the deltoids on this Chris Hemsworth specimen are both magnificent and distracting. The purity of fruit is there, but for the brash delivery whack-a-moling it every time it tries to expand.
The front end is a gorgeous gushing of black and deep raspberry-red fruit, but the delivery quickly turns into Reno cocktail hour with a finish that shows its biggin ABV. Youth still to blame? Sure. Certainly no new news in that regard; so, it behooves the best of us to hold on to these jocks for another 4-5 years. It’s a gut punch in the best of ways…if you’re an MMA guy into gut punches, I guess.
Fear not Realm disciples, I’m not mad at it. You all know what you’re getting into here, but I’d highly recommend letting the steroids cycle-off for a bit, unless you’re just looking for an after-party bender type of experience to keep the 3AM buzz going. It’s as if it has ramped up the beefcake since my last having it in 2020.
Pairs best with peanut butter fried puffer fish in blueberry syrup and mayonnaise coulis.
Having dinner guests (in-laws) over last night and wanted to drink something special and a little different, I had never tried a Falstaff before and I knew I had a bunch in my cellar. I went looking for the 2014 but could not find where I put them in the disorganization that lives beneath my house but I did find a couple of 2016's and decided why not.
I opened it 5 hours prior to dinner and was about to decant when my brother-in-law said don't bother - just use the vintorio. So that's what we did. This is a beautiful wine with a nose of dark red fruit, a touch of chocolate and some ripe figs. The palate was red and blue fruit, tobacco, fig, tree bark and chocolate. The finish was long. I will have to really go downstairs and find the 14's.
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Finally got a chance to crack open a bottle of Falstaff, which I've been buying for a few vintages now without ever tasting it. Boy, did this not disappoint. I gave the wine a good 2.5 hour decant. Very powerful nose of cassis, vanilla and berry pie. In the mouth, wow! Full of flavor and an extraordinarily beautiful texture. Very silky and well-balanced for this style of Napa wine. Well-integrated alcohol, tannins and acid. Such a well-made wine. Sugar covered berries, blueberry pie, cherry, dark raspberry, bay leaf and allspice. Lingering finish. Think I need to start buying at least two bottles of Falstaff every year. Very sad this was my only bottle of the 16'.
First taste of Falstaff ever. Enjoyed with dinner at home with family, decanted for 60 minutes. Incredibly silky smooth. Preferred over Moonracer '16 or BTK '14, equal to their '14 Dr. Crane in my memory. Wife says best Realm yet, best "taste of dirt" ever. Thankfully have another '16 waiting as well as an '18 and a couple of '19's. I will wait a few years to open the other...unless SWMBO forces my hand. :-)
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Pushing two years since my last bottle of the 2016 Falstaff, and with the 2018 vintage Realm allocation deadline quickly approaching, I was of course compelled to venture into my stash and see what’s cookin’ with the Falstaff in what I’ve considered one of the best vintages in Napa. Well friends, I’m sure it will come as little surprise to you that this wine OWNS the floor; if anyone is on the fence about securing-up their Falstaff provision for 2018, might I suggest grabbing a 2016 to motivate you as proof of what’s similarly to come with the 2018 (insert shameless Realm plug here). It’s a liquified Kate Upton who’s been hittin’ the gym hard for the last six months. Beaujolais fans need not apply here, cuz there’s some brawn in the show-me biceps of this juice.
But fear not; it’s not some autocratical power thump ogre. There is finesse, but it requires a bit of coaxing to go from MMA lasciviousness to a more refined artiste. Important to note, however, if you are heat adverse, then throw this in the decanter, commence vigorous and intermittent swirling, hold off for a few hours, and keep it at cellar temperature in order to flesh-out some of the darker berry goodness just waiting to explode from behind a curtain of youthful vanillin booze and cassis-laden liqueur staking claim for the initial stretches of consumption. After about three-to-four hours of open air is when the real magic starts to happen. Dark black cherry, chocolate-covered blackberries, black currant, spice box, anise, and edible flowers encircle the palate with both heft and energy, finishing with that signature Benoit texture Realm sexy-glide thing that ya’ll know and love. There is beautiful volume here as well, encapsulated with mouthwatering acidity that judiciously holds the bustling fruit within its requisite core. An attention-grabber that’s more than just an over-sized, flashy billboard. The academics and craftsmanship make their essential appearances, too.
Ideally, this is a monkey worth keeping in its cage for another 3-4 years. Sure, there is gratification that can certainly be had now if you want to burn through a bottle to get you all fired-up for pulling the trigger on your 2018 allocation. However, if you’re a smarter man than I (which most are), best to wait on this and let the power-play rivalry between heat and fruit wane a bit more. 98+ point potential.
dark ruby, prominent glass staining tears; black cherries, blackberries, chocolate, violets, potting soil, tobacco; juicy, ripe dark fruit, incredible mid-palate density and length; full bodied, medium+ acidity, prominent fine grained tannins, 14.6% ABV; blend of 63% Cabernet Franc sourced primarily from Oakville near Rudd and Dalla Valle and 37% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from To Kalon Vineyard; $150
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Opened in the bottle 4-5 hours sampling in between. Ripe blue fruit, vanilla, cassis liqueur... This is good stuff with smooth tannins and an opulent texture but overall just doesn’t differentiate itself as Cab Franc or from any other recent Realm. Not hating on this but just hoping for something more unique as this performed at the same level as a 17 Reverie Reserve ($90). Young and will certainly improve with time.
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Decanted 2 hours prior to tasting, what strikes about this wine is the wonderful perfumed nose. Violets, cedar, vanillin and blue and red fruit notes set the stage.
This is my first Falstaff and I understand from CT that it is mostly Cab Franc - but the other elements, I presume CS primarily, blend so well that you would be hard pressed to pick the dominant varietal. The fruit does tend toward blue but seemed to be retrained. Its very present and abundant but at this tasting I would say its lurking. Perhaps it will express more after a bit more bottle age.
We drank this over the next two hours and it seemed to me to lose a little energy over time. Mark and I seemed to be having a similar experience with 16s in that they seem a bit better early. Given the powerful but subdued fruit, I thought this wine might actually get better with time. It didn't, but it didn't fall off a cliff either.
Balance, mouthfeel and finish were all very good and what you'd expect from a higher end Napa red wine. All in all an excellent wine that rates a 94 with one bonus point for the wonderful fragrant initial nose. 95
Every bit a 95......dark, dark fruit. And like so many of the '16s in a tough spot...either opened 6 months too late or a year too early. I feel this has much more to give. Maybe 2-3 points? Brought by HMC to the dinner tonight and so wonderful. The has a chewy component to the tannins and fruit. Great mouthfeel and quality fruit, no doubt. Thanks for bringing HMC!
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Decanted for about an hour. Drank over 3 hours. This could have used more time - either in the bottle (i.e., revisit in a year) or air time. Have tasted this wine/vintage recently after it had been double-decanted for several hours and it was better.
Not to say this wasn't great - it absolutely is. Dark fruited, well perfumed, well balanced. Plenty of spine. Patience should reward.
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Ratings are tough for a wine like this. Here’s what you’re getting into: big black and blue vanilla plum bomb. Crazy long fruit on the late mid palate and finish. Can you tell it’s 63% cab franc? Not in any traditional sense. Is it delicious? Sure is. AFWE need not apply. The largest scale wine at a “big red” tasting. I actually think this will be great in 10 years if it doesn’t go pruney
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Misc wines at MGs place: Extremely young and a lot of black fruits with a touch of vanilla. The wine is lovely and pure in its structure. Overall, a wonderful wine but just way to young and very difficult to get an impression of with just one glass. 94-96p
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Had this PnP and then followed over the next couple hours. Do yourself and favor and don't drink it this way; I'd guess it needs at least 5+ hours of air. That said, WOW, this is some kind of wine. Violets, crushed flowers, loamy soil, blackberry, tar, embers and huge earthy elements on the nose. This is a stacked and packed wine; super muscular and built like a brick house. Coiled up with huge layers of blue & red fruit, tons of mineral driven flavors and nicely refined but incredibly prominent tannins. This is super fresh, very pure and wonderfully balanced. The finish literally lingers for well over a minute. I think this is a wine that will be much, much better in 2-3 years. So much potential. 97+
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Exquisitely framed flavors of perfectly ripened black cherry, dark cassis, plum skin, black raspberry, dark chocolate, dehydrated blueberries, and some subtle sweet oak char. There is a floral note (violets?) that rides the crest of the attack and gently hovers over the core fruit flavors.
With a voluptuous mid-palate density and all-consuming mouthfeel, the 2016 Falstaff rivals (and likely eclipses) its year-older 2015 sibling. This 2016 carries a superbly weighted and balanced depth of flavor, as well as an elevated sophistication for such a young wine. Deep without sacrificing energy and drive.
Give this a year or two to even better integrate its gorgeous and lively flavors. Purity of fruit is perfect; just in need of some short term cellaring to hopefully bump up the harmony of its delivery and complexity. 97-98+ points.
4/6/2024 - jviz wrote: 95 Points
This was really excellent, and in my opinion, a lovely point in its drinking window. Totally open and aromatic, with a prominent cinnamon stick note. Red fruited, with dusty cocoa coating the finish. Really delicious. It actually has quite of bit of runway ahead, but very much in balance today
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3/10/2024 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 99 Points
Must have been just the right mix of my mood and this particular bottle because tonight it was a classic 99 pointer for me.
Astringent on opening, but a two hour decant and sliiiiight chill really mellowed this out, mellow being the ultimate descriptor of this.
Used the Syrah glass.
Elegant, fantastic depth of flavor and that signature Realm creaminess.
Notes of chocolate, vanilla, smoke/oak, coconut and dark fruit.
Thankfully did not get that wall of oak that TEAKY mentioned. Bottle variation alert!
For me this was absolutely at peak, but it will last years if you like more maturity in your wine.
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3/4/2023 - Teaky Likes this wine:
Was hit by a big wall of oak at first so decided to decant. This was one of those wines where every sip was different which are always fun, on the nose get vanilla and coconut at first after a couple hours In the decanter the fruits emerge nice mixture of red and black though black is more dominant, cassis and blackberry dominate with red cherry in the background a bit smoky at times, mouthfeel was a bit astringent but overall very luxurious with low acidity moderate tannins and a very lengthy finish, a very nice wine that needs more time, definitely quite ripe but the oak needs to mellow a bit.
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5/4/2022 - csimm wrote:
Wild berry jubilee, cassis, cinnamon, and vanilla Schnapps dominate the profile here. In my previous note a couple of years ago, I characterized the initial experience of this wine as having “a curtain of youthful vanillin booze and cassis-laden liqueur staking claim,” which is certainly still the case with this most recent sample. The power and flex here override the would-be finesse; the deltoids on this Chris Hemsworth specimen are both magnificent and distracting. The purity of fruit is there, but for the brash delivery whack-a-moling it every time it tries to expand.
The front end is a gorgeous gushing of black and deep raspberry-red fruit, but the delivery quickly turns into Reno cocktail hour with a finish that shows its biggin ABV. Youth still to blame? Sure. Certainly no new news in that regard; so, it behooves the best of us to hold on to these jocks for another 4-5 years. It’s a gut punch in the best of ways…if you’re an MMA guy into gut punches, I guess.
Fear not Realm disciples, I’m not mad at it. You all know what you’re getting into here, but I’d highly recommend letting the steroids cycle-off for a bit, unless you’re just looking for an after-party bender type of experience to keep the 3AM buzz going. It’s as if it has ramped up the beefcake since my last having it in 2020.
Pairs best with peanut butter fried puffer fish in blueberry syrup and mayonnaise coulis.
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4/30/2022 - markcic Likes this wine: 95 Points
Having dinner guests (in-laws) over last night and wanted to drink something special and a little different, I had never tried a Falstaff before and I knew I had a bunch in my cellar. I went looking for the 2014 but could not find where I put them in the disorganization that lives beneath my house but I did find a couple of 2016's and decided why not.
I opened it 5 hours prior to dinner and was about to decant when my brother-in-law said don't bother - just use the vintorio. So that's what we did. This is a beautiful wine with a nose of dark red fruit, a touch of chocolate and some ripe figs. The palate was red and blue fruit, tobacco, fig, tree bark and chocolate. The finish was long. I will have to really go downstairs and find the 14's.
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2/15/2022 - GrapeCrusader Likes this wine: 95 Points
Finally got a chance to crack open a bottle of Falstaff, which I've been buying for a few vintages now without ever tasting it. Boy, did this not disappoint. I gave the wine a good 2.5 hour decant. Very powerful nose of cassis, vanilla and berry pie. In the mouth, wow! Full of flavor and an extraordinarily beautiful texture. Very silky and well-balanced for this style of Napa wine. Well-integrated alcohol, tannins and acid. Such a well-made wine. Sugar covered berries, blueberry pie, cherry, dark raspberry, bay leaf and allspice. Lingering finish. Think I need to start buying at least two bottles of Falstaff every year. Very sad this was my only bottle of the 16'.
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11/21/2021 - forgivenfool Likes this wine: 97 Points
First taste of Falstaff ever. Enjoyed with dinner at home with family, decanted for 60 minutes. Incredibly silky smooth. Preferred over Moonracer '16 or BTK '14, equal to their '14 Dr. Crane in my memory. Wife says best Realm yet, best "taste of dirt" ever. Thankfully have another '16 waiting as well as an '18 and a couple of '19's. I will wait a few years to open the other...unless SWMBO forces my hand. :-)
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7/18/2021 - greg@newsomehh.com Likes this wine: 96 Points
Loved it
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7/3/2021 - 89grange Likes this wine: 95 Points
A little tight, but sensational...!!
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3/6/2021 - greg@newsomehh.com Likes this wine: 97 Points
Smooth from opening. Enjoyed w/ GSM at Splendido
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9/14/2020 - csimm wrote: 98 Points
Pushing two years since my last bottle of the 2016 Falstaff, and with the 2018 vintage Realm allocation deadline quickly approaching, I was of course compelled to venture into my stash and see what’s cookin’ with the Falstaff in what I’ve considered one of the best vintages in Napa. Well friends, I’m sure it will come as little surprise to you that this wine OWNS the floor; if anyone is on the fence about securing-up their Falstaff provision for 2018, might I suggest grabbing a 2016 to motivate you as proof of what’s similarly to come with the 2018 (insert shameless Realm plug here). It’s a liquified Kate Upton who’s been hittin’ the gym hard for the last six months. Beaujolais fans need not apply here, cuz there’s some brawn in the show-me biceps of this juice.
But fear not; it’s not some autocratical power thump ogre. There is finesse, but it requires a bit of coaxing to go from MMA lasciviousness to a more refined artiste. Important to note, however, if you are heat adverse, then throw this in the decanter, commence vigorous and intermittent swirling, hold off for a few hours, and keep it at cellar temperature in order to flesh-out some of the darker berry goodness just waiting to explode from behind a curtain of youthful vanillin booze and cassis-laden liqueur staking claim for the initial stretches of consumption. After about three-to-four hours of open air is when the real magic starts to happen. Dark black cherry, chocolate-covered blackberries, black currant, spice box, anise, and edible flowers encircle the palate with both heft and energy, finishing with that signature Benoit texture Realm sexy-glide thing that ya’ll know and love. There is beautiful volume here as well, encapsulated with mouthwatering acidity that judiciously holds the bustling fruit within its requisite core. An attention-grabber that’s more than just an over-sized, flashy billboard. The academics and craftsmanship make their essential appearances, too.
Ideally, this is a monkey worth keeping in its cage for another 3-4 years. Sure, there is gratification that can certainly be had now if you want to burn through a bottle to get you all fired-up for pulling the trigger on your 2018 allocation. However, if you’re a smarter man than I (which most are), best to wait on this and let the power-play rivalry between heat and fruit wane a bit more. 98+ point potential.
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9/11/2020 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 97 Points
dark ruby, prominent glass staining tears; black cherries, blackberries, chocolate, violets, potting soil, tobacco; juicy, ripe dark fruit, incredible mid-palate density and length; full bodied, medium+ acidity, prominent fine grained tannins, 14.6% ABV; blend of 63% Cabernet Franc sourced primarily from Oakville near Rudd and Dalla Valle and 37% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from To Kalon Vineyard; $150
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5/10/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Opened in the bottle 4-5 hours sampling in between. Ripe blue fruit, vanilla, cassis liqueur... This is good stuff with smooth tannins and an opulent texture but overall just doesn’t differentiate itself as Cab Franc or from any other recent Realm. Not hating on this but just hoping for something more unique as this performed at the same level as a 17 Reverie Reserve ($90). Young and will certainly improve with time.
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5/1/2020 - HowellMountainCru Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours prior to tasting, what strikes about this wine is the wonderful perfumed nose. Violets, cedar, vanillin and blue and red fruit notes set the stage.
This is my first Falstaff and I understand from CT that it is mostly Cab Franc - but the other elements, I presume CS primarily, blend so well that you would be hard pressed to pick the dominant varietal. The fruit does tend toward blue but seemed to be retrained. Its very present and abundant but at this tasting I would say its lurking. Perhaps it will express more after a bit more bottle age.
We drank this over the next two hours and it seemed to me to lose a little energy over time. Mark and I seemed to be having a similar experience with 16s in that they seem a bit better early. Given the powerful but subdued fruit, I thought this wine might actually get better with time. It didn't, but it didn't fall off a cliff either.
Balance, mouthfeel and finish were all very good and what you'd expect from a higher end Napa red wine. All in all an excellent wine that rates a 94 with one bonus point for the wonderful fragrant initial nose. 95
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4/30/2020 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Every bit a 95......dark, dark fruit. And like so many of the '16s in a tough spot...either opened 6 months too late or a year too early. I feel this has much more to give. Maybe 2-3 points? Brought by HMC to the dinner tonight and so wonderful. The has a chewy component to the tannins and fruit. Great mouthfeel and quality fruit, no doubt. Thanks for bringing HMC!
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11/10/2019 - ageverett Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for about an hour. Drank over 3 hours. This could have used more time - either in the bottle (i.e., revisit in a year) or air time. Have tasted this wine/vintage recently after it had been double-decanted for several hours and it was better.
Not to say this wasn't great - it absolutely is. Dark fruited, well perfumed, well balanced. Plenty of spine. Patience should reward.
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10/11/2019 - jviz wrote: 96 Points
Ratings are tough for a wine like this. Here’s what you’re getting into: big black and blue vanilla plum bomb. Crazy long fruit on the late mid palate and finish. Can you tell it’s 63% cab franc? Not in any traditional sense. Is it delicious? Sure is. AFWE need not apply. The largest scale wine at a “big red” tasting. I actually think this will be great in 10 years if it doesn’t go pruney
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6/22/2019 - canan wrote: 95 Points
Misc wines at MGs place: Extremely young and a lot of black fruits with a touch of vanilla. The wine is lovely and pure in its structure.
Overall, a wonderful wine but just way to young and very difficult to get an impression of with just one glass. 94-96p
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3/7/2019 - SAS54 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Small hint of Merlot vanilla at the open, but it burns off quickly and is replaced with cherry, oak, and smidgen of spice. Really a fun bottle.
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2/14/2019 - Tonythefish wrote: 96 Points
Dark fruits, loamy soil, blackberries and baking spices. Really good - decanted for about 30 minutes and enjoyed
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12/8/2018 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Had this PnP and then followed over the next couple hours. Do yourself and favor and don't drink it this way; I'd guess it needs at least 5+ hours of air. That said, WOW, this is some kind of wine. Violets, crushed flowers, loamy soil, blackberry, tar, embers and huge earthy elements on the nose. This is a stacked and packed wine; super muscular and built like a brick house. Coiled up with huge layers of blue & red fruit, tons of mineral driven flavors and nicely refined but incredibly prominent tannins. This is super fresh, very pure and wonderfully balanced. The finish literally lingers for well over a minute. I think this is a wine that will be much, much better in 2-3 years. So much potential. 97+
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11/19/2018 - csimm wrote: 98 Points
Exquisitely framed flavors of perfectly ripened black cherry, dark cassis, plum skin, black raspberry, dark chocolate, dehydrated blueberries, and some subtle sweet oak char. There is a floral note (violets?) that rides the crest of the attack and gently hovers over the core fruit flavors.
With a voluptuous mid-palate density and all-consuming mouthfeel, the 2016 Falstaff rivals (and likely eclipses) its year-older 2015 sibling. This 2016 carries a superbly weighted and balanced depth of flavor, as well as an elevated sophistication for such a young wine. Deep without sacrificing energy and drive.
Give this a year or two to even better integrate its gorgeous and lively flavors. Purity of fruit is perfect; just in need of some short term cellaring to hopefully bump up the harmony of its delivery and complexity. 97-98+ points.
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