2017 Realm The Tempest
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Tasting notes
The 2017 The Tempest is a pretty, inviting wine. Rose petal, mint and sweet cherry fruit all grace this open-knit, mid-weight offering. The 2017 is medium in body and impeccably balanced, not to mention quite tasty. It is a terrific effort in a vintage full of challenges. I would prefer to drink this over the next handful of years.
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James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
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The 2017 The Tempest is composed of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Vineyard sources include the Realm Stags Leap District estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot along with Merlot from Orchard vineyard, Fortuna vineyard and Blair vineyard. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold blueberry pie, black cherries and mulberries scents plus hints of chocolate box, menthol and violets. Full-bodied, rich and decadent, the fragrant black fruit core has lovely freshness with silken tannins, finishing very long and so perfumed.
Beautiful blueberries and violets with tar and spice. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a delicious finish. Complex flavors of blackberries and flowers at the finish. So delicious. Merlot with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Drink or hold.
The Merlot-dominated wine in the lineup is the 2017 The Tempest and it's a beauty in the vintage, offering a saturated purple hue as well as classy notes of blackberries, black cherries, licorice, crushed violets, barbecue smoke, and hints of espresso roast. It's deep, full-bodied, has stunning purity of fruit, no hard edges, and the purity and balance that's become the hallmark of this estate.