2012 Realm The Absurd

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.