Realm Cellars Fall Release

[Andrew_Ing]

I’ve never worked so hard to taste a wine as Realm. Took me awhile and a lot of emails to nail down a tasting in 2014. I’ve been hooked ever since and bought every offering (except the one that sold out in a ridiculously short amount of time). Looking forward to every offering and the Practical Dreamer tour stop in Dallas. I found this video on the Practical Dreamer tour. Fall 2019 Offering // 2017 Proprietary Blends on Vimeo

[Alex_A]

I went to the dreamer tour, and tasted all of the '17s. To Kalon, Dr. Crane and Bard were amazing. I kept going back to To Kalon and Dr. Crane, honestly will be buying anything I can get my hands on. I don’t know who is spreading any rumors the wines have smoke taint needs to go and taste them.

If you don’t mind me asking, how was the 2016 Absurd showing at the tour?

Frank, the '16 Absurd was tight for me, I think the '15s are the best ones to drink right now. I’ve opened couple bottles of the '15 Absurd and they’re beautiful. But you can tell the '16 is a kickass big wine, i’ll be for sure buying it and putting it in the cellar for a while.

[Jeff_M1]

2017’s in the same league as 2016’s? I rather doubt it!

And why was fruit still hanging when the fires erupted?

Any fruit that was still on the vine wouldn’t have been used to make wine. I’ve tasted multiple 17 Napa cabs now and there’s no smoke taint. A couple wineries have said no 17’ vintages will be made from specific vineyards that still had fruit hanging.

I hope the wineries address the fires with their release notes so people know when the fruit was picked and there is no controversy. The 17s I’ve tasted have been good and I will be purchasing.

Oh, someone will make wine out of the fruit that is smoke tainted, bet on it. Probably sold off to make lesser wines

I would hope not. I know Robert Craig said there’s no 2017 Mt Veeder due to the fire. Smoke taint.

[David_Crow]

Any fruit that was still on the vine wouldn’t have been used to make wine. I’ve tasted multiple 17 Napa cabs now and there’s no smoke taint. A couple wineries have said no 17’ vintages will be made from specific vineyards that still had fruit hanging.

I hope the wineries address the fires with their release notes so people know when the fruit was picked and there is no controversy. The 17s I’ve tasted have been good and I will be purchasing.

Oh, someone will make wine out of the fruit that is smoke tainted, bet on it. Probably sold off to make lesser wines

I would hope not. I know Robert Craig said there’s no 2017 Mt Veeder due to the fire. Smoke taint.

You’re right about reputable wineries declassifying anything with smoke taint, but I agree someone will find a way to sell it. I remember a number of years ago a friend was tasting wine at a well known winery and noticed the wines tasted smokey. The person in the tasting room told a story of how there had been nearby fires that year and the grapes picked up the characteristics of the smoke that had been in the air and it was a reminder of the fires preserved in the wine. My friend thought that story was cool and ended up picking up a case. So someone will surely find a way to spin smoke taint into a positive.

[Jeff_M1]

You’re right about reputable wineries declassifying anything with smoke taint, but I agree someone will find a way to sell it. I remember a number of years ago a friend was tasting wine at a well known winery and noticed the wines tasted smokey. The person in the tasting room told a story of how there had been nearby fires that year and the grapes picked up the characteristics of the smoke that had been in the air and it was a reminder of the fires preserved in the wine. My friend thought that story was cool and ended up picking up a case. So someone will surely find a way to spin smoke taint into a positive.

I asked a couple of winemaker’s and CEO’s earlier this year if they were going to publish when they picked their fruit so customers knew if the fruit was picked before the fires. That’s my dividing line on whether I buy 2017 Napa/Sonoma cab or not. I’d hate to cellar something for a decade or more and get smoke taint. The 2017 Spottswoode I tasted a few weeks back out of the barrel/keg they poured was really good. Had some 2017 Bedrock Monticello cab that was also very nice.

[Frank_Z]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts about the 2016 Absurd! Hopefully it doesnt increase in price by too much this year!

[Matt_A]

2017 Tempest - $100
2017 Bard - $110
2016 Absurd - $500

I was able to view my allocation and prices by accident. They have since fixed it. This is by memory so I might be off a tad. I do distinctly remember the Absurd @ $500

[JohnP]

2017 Tempest - $100
2017 Bard - $110
2016 Absurd - $500

I was able to view my allocation and prices by accident. They have since fixed it. This is by memory so I might be off a tad. I do distinctly remember the Absurd @ $500

Thanks for the tip. The Absurd is now exactly in-line with all Hundred Acre pricing. If you had to choose, would you pick Hundred Acre F&F (offer coming soon) or Absurd?

[Frank_Z]

2017 Tempest - $100
2017 Bard - $110
2016 Absurd - $500

I was able to view my allocation and prices by accident. They have since fixed it. This is by memory so I might be off a tad. I do distinctly remember the Absurd @ $500

I was really hoping Absurd would stay at $450. I’ll most likely pass on that and grab an extra bottle of the M7 instead.

[Chris_Atkins]

In 2017 all the fruit at Corison was harvested a week before Oct 1, that is two full weeks before the fires! At Dunn all the fruit was in. At Montelena 100% of the Estate fruit was in, with only a few blocks of second label fruit that was left for compost.

Fruit still hanging on Oct 8, 2017? Wines don’t need to be this ripe. This was a relatively hot growing season.

[Joe_B]

OK, so the email I was sent when Realm folded Kata into their stable was that later this year they would be offering members some kata wines. Realm only offers wines twice a year. Fall and spring. So will we be offered Kata wine with this release? Or will we now be treated to three releases each year?

Anyway, today is the big day. Bard and Absurd on deck.

[Andrew_Ing]

Not sure if Kata is included. On the Realm website, they only list the Realm wines in the Fall offering. But, I don’t think they’ve updated it since they still have Falstaff on there. Plus, it’s not year specific.

[David_Crow]

I would think since Kata is a single vineyard wine it would be released in the spring, along with the other Realm single vineyard wines. I’m interested to see how they end up integrating Kata into the rest of the Realm portfolio and if it stays largely as is longer term in terms of the branding, packaging, etc. or if they end up changing it over eventually to match the rest of the Realm line-up.

[Frank_Z]

Does anyone know which vineyards they pulled for the Bard this year? Any Beckstoffer fruit like last year?

[Frank_Z]

Release is open! Prices for 750mL/1.5L

Bard - $110/$250
Tempest - $100/$225
Absurd - $475/$1050

AND To Kalon fruit is still in the Bard blend!

[Joe_B]

Took 12 Bard and Wished for 3 more.

Plus the 1.5 Bard.

I’m not sure what to do about my two bottle allocation of Absurd. Might buy them but I’m waiting to pull the trigger.

[Carlton_McCrindle]

I looked at the release notes for the Absurd which do not disclose the blend proportions. I presume they vary from release to release but am curious what varietals are usually included. Thanks.

[T.Phillips]

have 8 bard and 2 absurd I am not taking this round if anyone wants them PM me

[Steve_Crawford]

In 2017 all the fruit at Corison was harvested a week before Oct 1, that is two full weeks before the fires! At Dunn all the fruit was in. At Montelena 100% of the Estate fruit was in, with only a few blocks of second label fruit that was left for compost.

Fruit still hanging on Oct 8, 2017? Wines don’t need to be this ripe. This was a relatively hot growing season.

you’re comparing apples to oranges.

[David_Crow]

I looked at the release notes for the Absurd which do not disclose the blend proportions. I presume they vary from release to release but am curious what varietals are usually included. Thanks.

It really drives me nuts that Realm never releases detailed notes on the blend or vineyard sources for the Absurd. To charge nearly $500 for a bottle of wine and not tell people what’s in it or where the grapes come from seems pretty absurd (pun intended).

Does anyone have any info on the vineyard sources for this release or any of the past ones?