2016 realm cellars, the bard, napa valley
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Why We're Buying
The Bard is another tribute to Shakespeare and the classic wines of Bordeaux. This red blend pays homage to the Left Bank, with its density, weight, and unmistakable concentration. Realm Cellars uses five grapes from its Napa Valley vineyards, though cabernet sauvignon dominants the cuvée at 70.
Critics Scores
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 85 Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 Merlot and 5 Petit Verdot from 21 different lots from 11 different vineyards, the 2016 The Bard is very deep purple-black in color and sashays out of the glass with strikingly beautiful violets, warm cassis, star anise and chocolate mint notes with hints of wood smoke, tobacco and kirsch, with blackberry compote at the core. Full, muscular and built like a brick house with layer upon layer of black, blue and red fruits, it finishes very long and savory.
Wine Enthusiast
The Bard is 85 Cabernet Sauvignon this vintage, and the producer’s largest production wine, which still is small and devoted to detail. Sweet redcherry-liqueur flavor meets a grippy herbal undertone of forceful weight and power, the structure balanced and complex, yet immediately enjoyable
Jeb Dunnuck
The Left Bank Bordeaux-themed release, the 2016 The Bard checks in as roughly 70 Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. This cuvée is sourced from sites such as To Kolan, Dr. Crane, Weitz, and Fortuna as well as a few others, and is brought up in plenty of new oak. It has a mammoth bouquet of crème de cassis and blueberry fruits intermixed with ground herbs, graphite, chocolate, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, opulent and layered on the palate, with a powerful yet balanced, incredibly classic style, it has a certain approachability today but is going to cruise for two decades. It’s a brilliant wine.