The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon emerges from another first-growth vineyard that was acquired by Andy Beckstoffer in 1993, and planted with multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. The original vineyard was planted in 1868, but the present one consists of nearly 90 acres. The 2012 reveals incredible complexity and density with notes of Christmas fruitcake, baking spices, licorice, crème de cassis and forest floor. Full-bodied with the vintage’s opulence and drama, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was fashioned from Clones 4 and 337. It should age effortlessly for 25-30 years. 

Realm Cellars boasts an impressive team of highly motivated men and women led by Juan Mercado and winemaker Benoit Touquette. The consulting winemaker is Michel Rolland. Realm accesses some outstanding vineyard sources, particularly those owned by the omnipresent, bigger-than-life force of Napa Valley, Andy Beckstoffer. Fate was not kind to Realm in the beginning with their first vintage, 2003, completely destroyed by a fire in a Vallejo warehouse where it was being stored. But Juan Mercado, a former medic in the first Gulf war, and someone who learned his trade from the likes of Thomas Rivers Brown, Michel Rolland, John Kongsgaard and Les Behrens, stuck with it, and is now producing incredible wines. These 2012s represent the finest efforts Realm has produced to date. The heart of the Realm philosophy is to access some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards and put together either single-vineyard bottlings or creative proprietary blends. All of these 2012s were outrageously delicious, and I can’t recommend them highly enough. 

Score: 97+ Robert Parker (RP), The Wine Advocate (WA), October 2014

Amazing aromas of wet earth, blackberry and porcini mushroom. Tar too. Full body, ultra-polished tannins and a long and intense finish. Licorice and berry character. Pure cabernet sauvignon. 500 cases. Better in 2017.

Score: 96 James Suckling (JS), JamesSuckling.com, July 2015