Realm ‘The Tempest’ Napa Valley Red 2016

I’ve said this before but to reiterate, knowing how to blend your final wine is crucial to what will become your wine offering. Winemaker Benoit Touquette has been working with consulting winemaker and master blender, Michel Rolland, for the past several years since working as Realm’s winemaker. As a result, one of Benoit’s best strengths is final blending and when it comes to working with key grower vineyards, he can bring to bottle the best of the vintage’s potential. Tempest was Realm’s first Proprietary Red that was produced since their inaugural 2002 winery vintage. Like in past vintages, this 2016 is a blend of predominately Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon coming from the longtime grower vineyards that Realm has the relationships with and therefore the ability to source from year to year, including Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, Beckstoffer Orchard and Blair Vineyard in Calistoga. “The Tempest is a roiling cauldron of lush, bright, red fruit – a wine that shows what Merlot can be in the right hands, from the right vineyards.”