2015 Realm Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer To Kalon
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Tasting notes
This really is cabernet franc with a dense center palate, wonderful fruit and ripe and polished tannins. Full-bodied, and the smooth, tight tannins are compressed into a seamless texture. Rose-leaf character at the end. Fantastic.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Beautiful notes of blueberries, violets, spring flowers, and scorched earth emerge from the 2015 Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard and it’s one of the more elegant, layered, seamless wines in the lineup. Full-bodied, ultra-fine, with integrated acidity, and a skyscraper-like structure, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades. It’s a regal, classy, beautiful expression of Cabernet Franc. One of the most thrilling tastings I was able to do for this report, these incredible wines from Realm are made by the talented Frenchman, Benoit Touquette. These are true blockbuster, magical wines I wish every reader could taste.
The first vintage of this new wine from Realm, the 2015 Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard (a blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, co-fermented) reveals a very deep garnet-purple color and a beautiful nose of black raspberries, red currants, kirsch and wild blueberries with pencil shavings, bouquet garni and forest floor nuances. Full-bodied and richly fruited in the mouth, it has a firm frame of fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness to support the generous red and blue fruits, finishing long and earthy. This wine is only available in magnums.
About the producer
Realm Cellars has become one of Napa Valley’s most compelling modern estates, known for site-driven Cabernet Sauvignon. Drawing from some of the valley’s most sought-after vineyards, Realm’s wines consistently earn top critical acclaim while remaining firmly rooted in place.