2011 The Bard

The Realm team, led by Juan Mercado, Benoit Touquette, Scott Becker and Michel Rolland, have done a fabulous job with their 2011s and 2012s. Realm bulked about 40% of their 2011 juice, but the wines that did make their way into bottle are all strong. The 2011s are rich and dense, with the Realm style dominating over the personality of the year. Still, it's hard to fault the balance of the wines. The 2012s are a bit more natural and less forced, but then again, the vintage allowed for that. Mercado, Touquette and Becker are all young, with virtually their entire careers to look forward to. In Michel Rolland they have an elder statesman who can provide guidance. Realm now has access to several top sites in Oakville and Pritchard Hill, including Weitz, Martinez and Chang, some of which may be bottled separately in the future. We will see. For now, these are some of the most exciting wines being made in Napa Valley.