Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This is exquisite with so much hazelnuts and blue fruit. Full yet bright with vibrant acidity, which keeps the form and gives it energy and drive. A great wine. A blend of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 88% Cabernet Franc and 12% Merlot, the 2015 The Falstaff gives a deep garnet-purple color and compelling nose of crushed wild blueberries and blackberries plus fragrant earth and Indian spices nuances, with coaxing, lovely garrigue, dried roses, cigar box and crushed rock nuances. The palate is soft and sleek, with an elegant, medium to full body and very fine-grained tannins supporting the intense blue and black fruit flavors, layering in spice box, earth and bay leaf notions on the long finish.
-
Vinous
The 2015 Falstaff has aged very well. It shows the riper style that was the norm back in the day at Realm, but it has arrived at its tenth birthday in style. Dark red cherry, mocha, rose petal and a generous kiss of French oak sweetness are front and center.
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.