2016 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

This is one of the better "values" in Napa high end wines. It is a proprietary blend of 70% Cab with the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose has cassis, blueberries, slight black cherries, spices, and leather. Full bodied. Firm tannins. On the palate, juicy cassis and black cherries with underlying char and spice. Some leather notes. Long finish. Delicious. This is young but drinking well. Drink over the next ten to twenty years. Great on its own, it would be perfect with a roast or steak.

Grade:

A+

Score:

Vintage:

2016

Current Price:

$185.00USD

2018 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage:

2018

Score:

Grade:

A+

Current Price:

$146.00USD

Realm is one of our favorite wineries and The Bard may be our favorite (so hard to choose) especially considering price. This is an expensive wine, but for the quality, this is a great wine. It is a Cabernet based blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Petite Sirah . Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright. The nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco, chocolate, coffee and baking spices. Full bodied. Firm tannins. Great energy and balance. On the palate, this is young and tight but also showing complexity and depth. Flavo

2016 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$140.00USD

What an amazing wine. This is one of the more "affordable" Cabernet's from Realm. It is still very expensive, but this is some of the best that Napa has to offer. It is about 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Purple in color, opaque and shining bright. The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, cedar, spice and char. Just a gorgeous texture. Lush and velvety but with enough cut to not be cumbersome. Plenty of cassis and blueberry fruit with underlying tobacco and chart. Long finish. This is still young but just delicious. With time, this will show more complexity although

2016 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

A+

Current Price:

$200.00USD

This is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright. The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, cedar, spice and char. Lush, velvety texture but lots of vibrancy. On the palate, cassis and blueberry fruit with underlying tobacco and char. Long finish. This is still developing and will be for a decade. That said it is delicious now and will continue to drink well for another fifteen to twenty years. It drinks very well on its own and will work with bigger, fattier foods such as prime rib or a roasted veggie pizza.

2019 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage:

2019

Score:

Grade:

A+

Current Price:

$150.00USD

Tasted blind with other wines including the 2013 Bard. It was close and although I think this is the better wine, I found the 2013 a bit better on the evening. It is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot. Inky purple in color and shimmering bright. Opaque. The nose is big with cassis, graphite, slight earthiness and char. A bit tight. Full bodied. Firm tannins. On the palate, this is young and tight. Very ripe, this needs time. Flavors of cassis, blueberries, spice and cherries. Long finish. Hold for five years and drink for thirty after that. Bett

2017 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage:

2017

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$130.00USD

I love Realm wines and this might be my favorite. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose has cassis, black cherries, slight chocolate and tobacco with some cedar. This is a very accessible vintage for this wine. Full bodied. On the palate, cassis and black cherries, with some forest floor notes. Firm tannins. Nice balance. Long finish. This drinks very Bordeaux-like for a Napa Cab. It will still mature and like improve over the next ten to fifteen years and drink well for another ten to fifteen after that. A nice wine

2016 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

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2017 Realm Cellars The Bard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review