REALM CELLARS
NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
WHY BUY:
Lisa Perrotti-Brown captures it perfectly: Realm Cellars is "a young producer by global standards, yet one of Napa Valley's most sought-after names worldwide." And its trajectory is on a massive upward swing, having racked up some of the most 100-point scores in the Valley since 2012. And this grand tour of their recent portfolio, led by the 100-point Beckstoffer To Kalon 2023 (there's Beckstoffer, folks, and then there's Realm Beckstoffer), will wow you. You'll find power wedded to elegance, finesse backed by structure, and finishes that don't just stop but fade away subtly, like a sun slipping beneath the horizon.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
Perrotti-Brown’s 100-point assessment of the 2023 Beckstoffer To Kalon reads like a love letter: "the nose erupts with a powerful perfume of cassis, violets, and juicy blackberries ... Full-bodied, the palate is classic To Kalon — rich and structured with firm yet velvety tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and ferrous. Gorgeous!" James Suckling awarded 98 points to the Farella Estate 2022, calling it "really delicious, deep and well balanced" with "fine-grained tannins adding energy" and praising its "elegant, velvety, focused" character "built for further aging.” Decanter awarded 97 points to the Houyi Estate 2022, describing it as "an impressive wine" with "all the characteristic Realm richness, yet with notable precision,” noting its "ripe tannins [that] carry through,” its "perfumed high tones” and the way the "richness [is] balanced with tension, promising a strong future.” Decanter also weighed in on the Moonracer Estate 2022, a 96-pointer with "impressive red-toned fruit density and mineral lift” and "velvety tannins that build tension before resolving into a mineral-driven, wild herb finish." The Tempest 2023 took home 96 points as well, with The Wine Advocate declaring it "something special” a "smooth and silky” wine with "fine-grained tannins ... elegant, lovely stuff."
OUR TASTING NOTES:
Pour the To Kalon and everything else on the table and in the world falls away. This is Napa royalty, truly. The dark fruit is so concentrated and deep, but then that distinctive To Kalon minerality kicks in at just the right time, a perfect check. You might not expect a wine of so much muscle to have this kind of tension, and this much finesse, but that’s the minor miracle here, like watching a sumo wrestler pull off a pirouette. The Farella brings Coombsville's cooler disposition to the party: more Audrey Hepburn, if you will, than Mae West. Here we find red tones instead of black, and elegance rather than muscle, but make no mistake: this wine's got a serious spine beneath all that grace. The Houyi, from Pritchard Hill, brims with mountain intensity but manages to sidestep mountain harshness, and we loved the way the notes of dried sage and thyme thread through dark fruit. And that perfect touch of minerality on the finish. Moonracer is a wine of both energy and suavity, full of vibrant red fruit and delicate hints of bay laurel and cherry wood and wild herbs that all but demand contemplation, though you’ll be too busy losing yourself in enjoyment. Last but not least: The Tempest, a great wine to break out for dinner parties or any party. This is a pleasure principle wine (h/t, Dr. Freud) that brings richness, depth, and, thanks to tannins so fine-grained they feel like cashmere, ease of drinking.
THE STORY:
Wind the clock back to 2011. After a disastrous vintage, Realm is on the verge of bankruptcy. Then, in one of those strange moments of serendipity and wonder, Scott Becker, an Air Force veteran fresh out of Harvard Business School, walks into a bar and sits down next to Realm founder Juan Mercado. Becker had been working for Bill Harlan but he was itching for his own project. And so a partnership is born. Becker brings the money, and now it’s just a matter of waiting on the verdict of the new vintage from Robert Parker. Parker’s 2011 reviews had been brutal. The entire future of the estate seemed to be riding on whether the 2012s could bring them back from the brink. Well. Parker did that and then some, awarding two wines perfect 100-point scores and almost overnight Realm went from bankruptcy to phenom. Since then, they have only cemented their lofty status. They've acquired Moonracer in Stags Leap (named for the Wappo people who used that hill as a lookout), taken over farming at Farella in Coombsville, and purchased Houyi Vineyard on Pritchard Hill. A winery that went from buying fruit and renting space now had its own vineyards and state-of-the-art facility: a transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. The winemaking has evolved too, shifting from the dense, rich style of the early 2010s toward expressions that lead with freshness and precision (while never losing that signature Realm intensity). Managing Partner Scott Becker describes them as "giants who are light on their feet”: powerful enough to age for decades but approachable enough to enjoy now.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH:
The To Kalon demands a bone-in ribeye, preferably dry-aged and charred on the edges. The Farella will play beautifully with a seared duck breast or lamb chops crusted with herbs. The Houyi calls for something earthy, like braised short ribs or a wild mushroom risotto with truffle shavings. When it comes to the Moonracer, think venison or an herb-roasted pork loin. The Tempest is your go-with-nearly-everything partner: grilled salmon, roast chicken, even a juicy smash burger.
FUN FACT:
Realm's Moonracer vineyard underwent one of Napa's most ambitious redevelopment projects. They literally moved a mountain of topsoil to install a state-of-the-art drainage system beneath it.
OUR GUARANTEE:
As always, we only buy and source wines directly from the estate to ensure that they arrive in your hands with perfect provenance. With Realm's track record of producing some of Napa's most sought-after and highest-scoring Cabernets, these bottles are sure to disappear quickly. So secure yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2026. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in DC, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, NE, NM, NY, OK & TN. This offer will expire on Wednesday, January 21st, 2026.