2012 Realm The Absurd
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Tasting notes
The 2012 The Absurd is such a classic Realm wine. Heady and exotic, with tremendous richness, the 2012 is a super-size Napa Valley Cabernet from start to finish. Super-ripe dark fruit, blackberry preserves, chocolate, leather, licorice, spice and torrefaction notes build into the sumptuous, palate-staining finish. This is such a great example of the Realm style. As with the 2013, I find the 2012 Absurd more compelling today than it was at the outset. I loved it.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Absurd, a blend of the best barrels in the cellar, is everything it should be, as it encapsulates all the elements of the house style. Dark, rich and voluptuous, the 2012 boasts superb depth, inner perfume and balance. Blueberry jam, mocha, cloves, mint, smoke, graphite and new leather blossom on the huge, enveloping finish. The blend is mostly To Kalon and Dr. Crane with dollops from Farella and Kenefick Ranch.
The 2012 Proprietary Red Absurd is, in essence, the owner’s and winemaker Benoit Touquette’s selection of their favorite barrels. This is another three-digit tour de force in winemaking. A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and dollops of Merlot and Petit Verdot, all from the Dr. Crane and To Kalon vineyards, it boasts a soaring, majestic set of aromatics consisting of blueberries, baking spices, wet gravel, blackberries and acacia flowers. Full-bodied, opulent and voluptuously textured with sweet tannin and a mindboggling, long finish, this is magnificent stuff! Kudos to the entire Realm Cellars family. This is their finest achievement to date (and I haven’t even tasted their 2013s). Drink now through 2032.
The 2012 Absurd is a selection of the estate's best barrels, made for the first time in this vintage. All the best elements of the house style come together in a chiseled, intense wine loaded with class. The darkness of the fruit suggests To Kalon, while the aromatic lift of the finish seems to indicate there is a fair amount of Dr. Crane in this blend. Totally seamless and silky on the palate, the 2012 is firing on all cylinders today. Absurd is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.
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.