Spectrum Fine Wine Auctions Home

The September 2022 Auction: Part 4

Auction # 729 | View Auction Schedule and Details
Back to auction lot listing Back to Auction Lot Listing
Auction Ends: 9/22/2022 6:00:00 PM PDT

Lot #968. Realm Cellars The Absurd 2019

Description: Consists of 6 Bottles, 0.75L
Score: 100 WA.
"This ultimate vintage expression is always a mystery blend of grape varieties and vineyard sources, representing the cream of the crop, aspiring to the extent of proprietor Scott Becker’s and winemaker Benoit Touquette’s imagination, and beyond. Deepest purple-black colored, the 2019 The Absurd captivates the mind straight away, offering a perfume so infused it requires great focus to pick out scents of blackberry preserves, juicy black plums and crème de cassis, needing some swirling to unlock the undercurrent of Indian spices, cracked black pepper, iris and chocolate mint, plus a hint of cast-iron pan. The taut, muscular, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with black fruit preserves and fragrant accents, supported by a rock-solid foundation of ripe, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing with all the generosity and shimmer that is the signature of the great 2019 vintage in Napa Valley. A breathtaking triumph! Allow it to unwind and expand over the next 5-7 years, then drink it over the following 30 years+. “2019 was a great vintage, following 2018,” said Realm’s winemaker, Benoit Touquette. “A bit like 2012 and 2013. 2019 is more fleshy and expressive at this stage than 2018. It has the flesh and the body of 2013, with nice ripe phenolics. I love the acidity and texture, matched by the aromatics. Also, 2019 was a consistent crop—straightforward to work with. We racked a lot less this year, to keep that energy and freshness,” he explained “Tempest and Bard are our gateway to new consumers,” proprietor Scott Becker added. “The Bard accounts for nearly half of our entire production volume. With The Tempest, we really want to promote Merlot. You really need the Merlot mindset, to be focused on how to make great Merlot.” 2019 is clearly a vintage that plays to Realm’s vineyard and visionary strengths. This is a strong lineup of new releases with a lineup of wines that are sure to excite loyal fans and will likely turn a few new heads along the way. 2020 is, however, another story. 2020 was the year of not just one but two significant fire episodes, rendering most Napa Valley grapes potentially smoke tainted. After considerable monitoring and careful consideration, Realm took the difficult decision not to bottle any 2020 wines for public release except a rosé—La Fe—produced from an early harvest of Merlot coming from Farella vineyard in Coombsville." Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate Interim, Sep 2021
Provenance: The Solano Cellar
Lot Location: Orange County
Estimate: $8,000

Image Gallery



- Indicates you are the winning bidder for a specific lot.
- Indicates you are the highest bidder for a specific lot.
- Indicates you have been outbid on a specific lot.
*Price includes BP if auction is closed
^Reserve not met