Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Realm Cellars – Farella Vineyard – Red– 2021
Coombsville AVA – Napa Valley – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A site-driven, estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Realm Cellars’ Farella Vineyard in the cool-climate Coombsville AVA. The 2021 vintage is composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a high-elevation block within the vineyard known as the “rockpile,” named for its dense concentration of stone and gravel soils. This unique position in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains delivers natural freshness, complexity, and refined structure.

Aromas & Flavors
Layered aromas of red and black cherry, cassis, and ripe plum unfold alongside graphite, crushed stone, subtle floral tones, and hints of cedar. As the wine opens, nuanced notes of spice, earth, and mineral depth continue to build, revealing impressive complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium-to-full bodied with a remarkably polished and silky texture. The tannins are refined and seamless, offering structure without weight. Fresh acidity from the cool Coombsville site carries the wine effortlessly through a long, graceful finish.

Food Pairings
Herb-crusted lamb, grilled filet mignon, roasted duck breast, mushroom-forward dishes, or aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A beautifully composed Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that emphasizes elegance over brute force. Complex, multi-layered, and progressively expressive, this is a refined interpretation of mountain-influenced Coombsville Cabernet.

Did You Know?
Coombsville is one of Napa Valley’s coolest AVAs, influenced by morning fog and volcanic soils from the Vaca Mountain range, often producing Cabernets with heightened aromatic complexity and natural acidity.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
I was genuinely surprised by how smooth and delicate this wine is for a site of such intensity. Multi-layered, graceful, and beautifully balanced, it’s an exceptional Cabernet that showcases finesse as much as depth. — 7 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2019 vintage. Great, lean leathery, earthy nose. Medium body. Excellent QPR. Haven't been selling much merlot lately so tough to get too agitated/excited but this was dynamite. 04.09.25. — a year ago

Rob N

9.3

Another great cab from Di Costanzo. I get more mineral and less fruit in this one than the Farella. Almost like an Italian-style wine. — 5 years ago

Mark Farrell

9.1

This is the Farella Vineyard Cab. Deep Ruby to deep purple in color with an explosive nose of blackberries, black cherries, black pepper, and cocoa powder. Very powerful nose. The aromas fill the room. Flavors are a bit tight on this. It is a 2016, so it may open up after a bit of aging. Medium to full bodied. Bone dry. I think this needs a bit of time to develop. — 7 years ago

Kurt Schuster

9.2

Delicious, full bodied, and complex. Great flavors of oak without overwhelming vanilla, ripe and firm grapes with tannins to keep things balanced. Herb and smoky notes. Delicious. — 7 years ago

Ryan Allard

8.9

Not bad. But way over priced. — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.5

Today was my first time to host Wednesday Wine Committee. I’ve had the good fortune of attending on and off over the last two years and was delighted to finally host a lunch. As many of the wines I brought today I’ve posted on here before, I’m posting the white wine of the day and the red wine of the day. As always, the format of 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine was in play and everything was tasted blind.

As my 30th birthday approaches next week, I wanted to bring a bottle of something special, so I decided on a birth year wine as a small early birthday celebration. Absolutely shocked at the color...was as dark as an ‘07 Farella that was next to it! Acidity, fruit and finish were all insane for the age. Barnyard funk blew off easily and revealed bing cherry, dates, currant and a killer herbal acidic finish. Tannins are still providing nice structure here. ‘88 wasn’t a great Napa vintage, but this just goes to show you how quality producers churn out age worthy wines regardless of vintage. A real treat. Credit to @Mark Flesher for helping me get this! — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

10

Realm Cellars – Fidelio – Sauvignon Blanc – 2022
Farella Vineyard – Coombsville AVA – Napa Valley – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A site-driven Sauvignon Blanc sourced from Farella, Realm Cellars’ cool-climate estate vineyard in Coombsville. The 2022 vintage marks the beginning of Fidelio as a fully realized expression of Realm’s white-wine vision. Fermented and aged using three distinct vessels, neutral oak demi-muids, concrete eggs, and terracotta amphoras, each contributing texture, purity, and layered complexity. A wine built on refinement, precision, and thoughtful vineyard innovation.

Aromas & Flavors
Vivid green lemon zest, lime blossom, and fresh citrus oils lead the aromatics, followed by white peach, subtle herbal tones, crushed stone, and saline minerality. As it opens, hints of fennel, wet chalk, and delicate floral notes emerge, revealing remarkable depth for Sauvignon Blanc.

Mouthfeel
Textural and composed, with a broad yet energetic palate. The concrete and amphora components add tension and grip, while neutral oak lends quiet roundness without overt wood influence. Bright acidity carries the wine seamlessly through the mid-palate into a long, focused, mineral-driven finish.

Food Pairings
Grilled branzino, halibut with citrus beurre blanc, roasted chicken with herbs, shellfish, goat cheese, or vegetable-forward dishes featuring fennel, asparagus, or fresh herbs.

Verdict
A serious, intellectual Sauvignon Blanc that blurs the line between white and red wine drinkers. Fidelio captures Realm’s ethos of richness and freshness coexisting in perfect balance. A benchmark Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc with depth, intent, and longevity.

Did You Know?
To refine fruit exposure, Realm introduced cross arms in the vineyard to create dappled light around the fruit zone, an uncommon but deliberate technique that enhances phenolic maturity while preserving freshness in this cool Coombsville site.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This is a white wine for red wine lovers. A 100% Sauvignon Blanc that took me to the next level of Napa Sauvignon Blanc. I had to pause, my brain went into overdrive. Ridiculously delicious, layered, and precise, with electric green lemon zest energy and impeccable balance. Serious stuff. — 7 months ago

Steven Gullo

9.3

Coombsville is an exciting AVA within Napa for cool climate Cab. The Farella vineyard shows a more herbaceous side than most others from the valley floor. The nose has eucalyptus, violets, and fresh wild berries. Full bodied, ripe tannins, robust structure. Very well made Napa Cab. — 4 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.4

Birthday red for the birthday girl 🍷 all made possible by the people’s champ, @Ron R 🙌🏻 thanks for sending this our way, sir - it’s some seriously delicious juice. I gave it one smell and thought to myself, “This is a 94/100 wine.” Glad to see my initial (and final) assessment was on par with most of yours.

Intoxicating notes of mulled plums, blackberries and blueberries, all baked together with anise, melted Mexican chocolate, and dried vanilla bean. Beautiful, luscious mouthfeel with a velvety finish. This is a winner. — 6 years ago

with Krystal

Eric L.

9.4

Really delicious Sauvignon Blanc. Tropical fruit with lovely freshness. Everything is in perfect balance. — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Couldn’t believe my luck when someone walked in with this. I recently made the list and purchased some current release as well as an older vintage all without ever trying these wines. People speak highly so I’m glad I got to see why. This is mainly Beckstoffer GIII I believe (though it’s now mainly Moulds, Farella and Houyi) and it had some hallmark BGIII notes...dusty blackberries and raspberries. Rose petal, graham cracker and lead. Nice! — 8 years ago

Rob N

8.9

Di Costanzo is good but I didn’t like this as much as the ‘17 Farella Vineyard.
— 9 months ago

John Malcolm

9.5

An excellent wine (although I prefer the Realm Farella from this vintage). Deep purple color and full-bodied. Blackberries, currants, black olives, and a hint of tobacco. — a year ago

Cathy Levy

9.3

Under rated vintage. Lovely, dark and full bodied. Enjoyed very much with a steak. — a year ago

Jason and Jennie

9.1

Just a small blend of dry creek zin, kick ranch syrah, farella merlot, malbec, cab, and of course Pinot. Easy drinking wine for summer sipping. Baking spices come out in full force on opening but mellow out with some air — 5 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.4

Exactly what I expected and exactly what I wanted. Intense and expressive with copious amounts of brooding dark fruits, graphite, anise, eucalyptus, gunpowder, and violet on the nose with juicy plums, blackberries, spices, and cedar on the palate with silky tannins and big structure. So good. — 7 years ago

with Krystal

Jason and Jennie

9.4

93-94. Too bad they aren’t making more of this as realm is replanting the farella merlot to cab. I just love this vineyard for merlot. Blend it with kenefick cab and you got a winner. — 8 years ago

Luke Stanko

9.2

Merlot the way it’s supposed to be made. Fruit with balanced structure — 8 years ago

Alex Leonardini

9.4

Gorgeous blue fruits with ample acidity and a smoky background. — 8 years ago