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The March 2021 Auction: Part 1

Auction # 649 | View Auction Schedule and Details
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Auction Ends: 3/4/2021 6:00:00 PM PDT

Lot #610. Realm Cellars Proprietary Red Beckstoffer Dr. Crane 2017

Description: Consists of 3 Bottles, 0.75L
Score: 100 WA.
"Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard does not disappoint. Deep garnet-purple colored, it flies out of the glass with gregarious scents of black cherries, blueberries and boysenberries plus hints of potpourri, sandalwood, Chinese five spice, cast-iron pan and fragrant earth. Characteristically full-bodied, rich and full-on seductive, the palate is packed with generous, perfumed black fruits, supported by firm, ripe tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing mineral-laced and with epic persistence. The team at Realm seemed to have played it ultra-cautious in 2017. In spite of all the challenges caused by the Labor Day heat wave followed by the October fires that year, they have produced a strong lineup of very impressive wines. Fans should note that no Falstaff, Farella Vineyard or Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Franc labels were produced in 2017, due to the situation that fruit was still hanging in these key vineyards during the fires. "In 2018, we had a lot of time to pick. We had a lot of time to make the wines," winemaker Benoit Touquette informed me. "Not to get greedy with Mother Nature was the challenge. We didn’t have the huge crops that some people had. We could pick at our leisure. If you did the right viticulture, it was an easy vintage." Indeed, the Realm 2018s have an effortless, carefree purity about them, with all the bright, energetic, crunchy fruit that is a characteristic of this cooler vintage. This is not to say that that these wines do not possess that decadent personality fans have come to love. On the contrary, there is a lot of impactful intensity with these 2018s. Yet they seem to bear a cheery skip in their step, which is going to make you fall in love with this winery all over again." Wine Advocate Interim, Oct 2020
Provenance: The Alpha Cellar
Lot Location: Orange County
Estimate: $1,000

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