Winemaker Notes
The Absurd stems from a simple yet fantastically complex proposition: it is the best wine Realm Cellars produces. The Absurd could be one varietal, it could be five. It could come from one vineyard lot, it could come from a dozen. Each time the winery makes The Absurd they start with a blank canvas. The sole guideline is their palate. The single aim is the best Napa Valley wine of the vintage.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship 2021 The Absurd from this team (the blend is never specified) is another absolute monument of a wine from Realm. Incredible blue fruits, redcurrants, liquid violets, dark chocolate, and scorched earth all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and the purity, focus, and elegance paired with incredible levels of concentration that define the greatest wines of the 2021 vintage.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel selection in the truest sense of the word, chosen from among all the various lots available in the winery, Realm's 2021 The Absurd features aromas of black cherries, loamy earth and dried spices. It's full-bodied, suave and richly textured but also seems somewhat ethereal at the same time. Lush and long, it folds in softly dusty tannins on the licorice-tinged finish, a testament to great materials in the vineyard and cellar, plus a fair bit of blending skill.
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James Suckling
A big and juicy wine with lots of fruit and integrated tannins that also has a freshness at the same time. Full-bodied with lots going on at the end. Flamboyant and slightly old school, but it’s cool. A selection of barrels that the owners like.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.