A selection from the Bard release, which comes from a 30-acre site on the north side of Larkmead Lane, outside of Calistoga, the 2019 The Bard Blair Edition is based on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. It shows the sexier, more opulent side to the vintage and is straight-up loaded with red and black fruits, candied violets, spice, and floral nuances. It reminds me a little of the 2012 vintage and boasts a full-bodied, round, just sexy style, especially when compared to the more elegant, focused straight Bard cuvée. Both wines are brilliant, and which you prefer will be due more to stylistic preference than any real quality differences in the wines.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon The Bard Blair Edition is a new wine, perhaps a one-off, to be released as a special offer in the fall of 2022, in part to help bridge the gap created by the nonexistent 2020 vintage for Realm. It is made entirely from fruit from the Blair vineyard in Calistoga and so comes close to the early vintages of The Bard, which mainly came from this vineyard. It is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose bursts with bold notions of blackcurrant pastilles, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, plus suggestions of violets, star anise and unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of bright, crunchy black and blue fruits, framed by very fine-grained tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing with lots of floral and exotic spice layers. This 2019 is particularly spectacular, drinking beautifully now and yet has the stuffing to cellar beautifully for 20 years+.

The 2019 The Bard is classy and elegant from start to finish. Inky blueberry jam, lavender, spice, rose petal and blood orange lend brightness to this beautifully layered, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from Realm. Silky and creamy, The Bard is a winner in 2019. Core vineyard sources are Blair, Houyi and Upper Range for the Cabernet Sauvignon, Farella and Orchard for Merlot and Dr. Crane for Petit Verdot, spread across a total of about 20 separate lots.