Ericsson

9.7

Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.

It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.

On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.

So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age. — 5 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.2

Impressive showing...maybe needs 1-2 years for a more rounded enjoyment but this was already very pleasant. — 5 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Realm Cellars – The Bard – Red Blend – 2022
Napa Valley AVA – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Realm Cellars’ flagship proprietary red, The Bard represents the most expansive and dynamic expression of Napa Valley terroir. The 2022 vintage is Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant (approximately 70%), supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, with exact proportions varying by year. Sourced from a broad range of elite vineyards spanning Coombsville to Calistoga and both valley floor and hillside sites, this wine is designed to showcase Napa Valley in its full breadth and power.

Aromas & Flavors
Dense and expressive aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry compote, and dark plum lead the profile, followed by graphite, cocoa, crushed stone, and subtle baking spice. As it opens, notes of espresso, cedar, and savory herbs emerge, adding layers of depth and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied, weighty, and concentrated, with a rich core of dark fruit framed by structured yet polished tannins. Despite its power, the wine maintains balance and freshness, carrying seamlessly into a long, impactful finish.

Food Pairings
Prime rib, grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, venison, or aged cheeses such as aged Cheddar, Comté, or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Verdict
A bold yet refined Napa Valley red that captures Realm’s philosophy of sourcing greatness across sites to build a wine of exceptional depth, richness, and presence. The Bard remains a benchmark proprietary blend that delivers both immediate pleasure and cellar-worthy structure.

Did You Know?
The Bard draws fruit from some of Napa Valley’s most revered vineyards, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Beckstoffer Bourn, Blair, Houyi, and Larkmead, contributing to its layered complexity and distinctive Napa identity.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This is a wine every serious wine lover should have in their cellar. Powerful, delicious, and unapologetically Napa, The Bard delivers depth, impact, and pure enjoyment in every glass. — 5 months ago

B Young

9.0

Very Good ..... Buy again at Total Wine — 6 months ago

JC Muehlenberg

9.0

Light, very universal. — 6 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I have never had a bad bottle of BVT in any vintage 15+ yrs in bottle. Likely $28-$30 on release.

Last day of California Indian Summer.

@Chaminade — 6 months ago

Mary Perrotta

8.9

A little dry and a little sweet. A great blend. — 7 months ago

Brad Jensen

9.1

Smooth and gentle, with a prominent nose of crisp red fruit, somewhat dark, with strawberries, pencil shavings/graphite, with some notes of blood orange rind, maybe some coffee and a hint of vanilla and iron. Deep garnet color, with hints of purple to the edges. Palate is somewhat meaty after some time and air, with well integrated tannins, — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Before I get into the notes, Flora Springs “Trilogy” is one of those wines from my formative years in this wine journey. Subsequently, it holds a special place in my heart. You can probably imagine how excited I was to enjoy the 1994 a vintage I likely drank long ago, out of a double-magnum no less! Giddy.

Popped and poured from double-magnum into red Solo cups and enjoyed her the course of an hour. The 1994 “Trilogy” pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and significant sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated dark and red fruits: brambles, currants, plums, tobacco, old leather, dusty earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and the texture is silky. The large format has no doubt had an effect on this wine’s nearly evergreen properties but what a treat! Drink now regardless of format and enjoy this in its full maturity. — 9 months ago

Monica Lo

9.1

Like drinking chocolate — 11 years ago

Vijay Parikh

9.4

One hour decant with steak dinner. Had it with the 89 Haut Brion. Whilst this was good it was soundly beaten by the HB — 5 months ago

Tom Garland

9.6

+2 hour decant(lots of sediment). Served with beautifully seared A5 Wagyu. A majestic deep dark garnet color. On the nose: subdued notes of dark/blue fruits, pencil shavings, menthol, wet forest floor, cedar. Taste: silky, pure, intense savory wine with blackberry/dark cherry, currants, graphite, mineral, dark chocolate espresso and a lingering long dry finish. YUM! Still has time to go and glad to have more bottles. — 5 months ago

with Brenda

Pooneet K

9.1

Fresh and will go for a very long time. Tannins are pretty chunky but still a nice wine. — 5 months ago

Marcel Van Duinen

10

12 uur decanteren, met wild-kroketten 🤗 — 5 months ago

Scott Clawson

9.4

Picked up at Six forks wine shop — 6 months ago

Carol Montoya

9.0

Tasted at Total Wine & bought a bottle. A little fruity. Not too bold. Good with steak. — 6 months ago

George Hesse

9.2

Dinner at the Savoy Grill. — 7 months ago

Jan A

9.5

Needs a lot more time! — 7 months ago

Mark Osmers

9.1

Consistently excellent Bordeaux-style red blend
(Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc)
Fruit forward cherry, plum, blackberry, with a nice oakey finish
— 7 months ago

Jason Gelman

9.2

really pretty, light weight, delicate red fruit forward rose — 10 months ago

Gareth Kitching

9.0

My old chap cried a single tear of gooey joy drinking this beauty. — 7 years ago

Noah Chasin

9.2

Initially concerns it was shot, three hours later it proved to be quite delightful. — 5 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

1988 vintage. Good fill, good cork. Opened with a Durand and decanted. Tasted after two hours. Those initial, futile attempts at being masculine but ultimately feminine. Exemplary stuffing with enough of an outline to carry this wine another 5-6 years in this stead. Light-medium body with a decently traceable finish. Better than expected. 12.25.25. — 5 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

#AgedWineTuesday

Ruby in color with a reddish rim. Not showing it's age.

Pretty nose with black currants, black plums, blackberries, licorice, cedar, herbs, tobacco leaf, chocolates, dark coffee, pencil lead, light earth and peppercorn.

Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with black currants, blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, spices, toast, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, earth, light alcohol, peppercorn, green tea and herbs.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Showing a great nose right out of the bottle.

Rich and extracted, yet elegant. Very complex and spicy. Smooth, yet powerful. Does not feel like it's 18 year old at all.

This Cabernet Sauvignon from the great 2007 vintage in Napa Valley is showing beautifully now. Fully matured, but has enough energy to last it much longer. Drinking at its peak, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 7 years.

I love these aged Napa Bordeaux blends. Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Aged for 18 months in (79% new) French oak barrels.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$175. — 5 months ago

K

10

One of the best rose. More floral than berries, semi dry, — 5 months ago

Ben Wald

9.3

Nose much more Intense than the palate. Oddly delicate. — 6 months ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.4

Cannot go wrong with this winery…Still quite young for a bottle of 15 years old — 7 months ago

Kyle B

9.3

Fantastic red for a great dinner — 7 months ago

with Terry

Dirk

9.4

Excellent american blend — 8 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Opus One Overture Red Blend N/V
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A second wine from Opus One Winery, Overture is crafted as a multi-vintage Bordeaux-style blend, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller portions of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Unlike the estate’s grand vin, Overture blends across several vintages to achieve harmony, depth, and consistency. This wine edition includes 2014, 2015, and 2016, vintages that shows the elegance and complexity of extended barrel aging.

Aromas & Flavors
Nose: red currants, ripe cherry, and fresh red fruit, wrapped in earthy tones of mahogany, cocoa powder, and vanilla spice.
Palate: rounded and expressive, with plush dark fruit layered over subtle tobacco, cedar, and espresso. The oak influence creates warmth and complexity without overwhelming the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Medium-to-full-bodied, velvety in texture, with smooth tannins and a long, polished finish. The extended oak elevates its creaminess, while freshness keeps it balanced.

Winemaking & Style
Barrel-aged longer than the main Opus One lots, this wine achieves silky integration of fruit and oak. The flexibility of blending across vintages results in a wine of remarkable harmony and immediate drinkability, while still capable of short-term aging.

Food Pairing
Excellent with grilled ribeye, lamb shanks, duck breast, or mushroom risotto. Also pairs beautifully with aged cheeses or a dark chocolate finale.

Verdict
A luxurious, multi-vintage blend that captures the soul of Opus One in a more approachable, versatile package. Refined, elegant, and deeply satisfying, Overture is a wine to savor now or cellar briefly for added nuance.
— 10 months ago