With vineyards spanning from Calistoga to Coombsville, from the Mayacamas Mountains to the Vaca Range, The Bard is the most complex and diverse blend Realm produces. The Bard is a dense, weighty, and concentrated wine that year in and year out showcases the most dynamic expression of Napa Valley. This cabernet sauvignon-based proprietary blend celebrates the art and precision required of meticulous blending, combining grapes from impeccable growing sites with the judicious oversight of the human hand and palate.

In the same way that Special Cuvée stands apart from non-vintage Champagnes, Bollinger Rosé is an exception for Rosé Champagnes. What is more, it is a relative secret, as Bollinger did not release a non-vintage Rosé until 2008 and the quantity produced is quite limited. The wine begins as  Special Cuvée and then Bollinger’s specialty as  the  Pinot Noir producer in Champagne takes center stage, as the red fruits that join the conversation dance vibrantly, the finish has just a hint of perfectly repeat tannin, and the deep complexity of the wine shines through transparently.

Bollinger is the producer most associated with a single grape variety in Champagne, namely Pinot Noir. This more difficult grape to grow makes up a minimum of 60% of all of Bollinger’s Champagne. The harmony of Pinot Noir’s richness and elegance plays a large part in the Rosé’s distinct profile, the ripe red berries and powerful impact a clear signature. Then there is the other association that Bollinger is so well known for: winemaking in barrel. As virtually every Champagne producer in the latter half of the 20th century moved to fermenting in large lots in stainless steel tanks, Bollinger persisted to oversee fermentation barrel by barrel for all vintage Champagnes and a remarkable 30% of the Rosé. Why? Because the development of flavors becomes so much more complex, and the texture rounder and silkier. A third Bollinger specialty is the aging of Champagnes. Most Champagnes on the market are primarily made up of the most recently harvested vintage before requirements to age in bottle. Bollinger is primarily made up of Champagnes that are not from the most recent vintage, and in the end a newly released bottle of Bollinger is around 7-8 years old. A fourth – and utterly distinct – practice at Bollinger is the use of Reserve Magnums. The best vineyards will be aged under cork in magnum for up to 15 years, and hand disgorged into the final blend to bring the aromas and flavors only a great aged Champagne can display, notes such as truffles, ginger and walnuts.

So you have it all: the freshness that Champagne brings naturally, the secondary notes as the fruit character becomes riper and savory and spicy notes enter, and the third level, when fruit becomes almost crystallized, texture becomes like velvet, and the glass in front of you brings meaning to you and with those you have chosen to share. Then, because of the quality, density and power of Bollinger’s still red Pinot, only 5-6% of red wine is added to make the Rosé, less than half (or even a third) what you find in typical Rosé Champagnes. We like to say: “Fresh as a Rosé, balanced as a Bollinger.”

Fidelio is Realm’s sole white wine, a 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from Farella Vineyard and grower vineyards. Grapes for Fidelio are picked at different stages of maturity to yield a spectrum of fruit flavors and textures, yielding a wine that is neither oaky nor in the green/grassy camp. Well-balanced and fresh tasting, this is Realm’s version of a fine white Bordeaux: expansive on the palate, wonderfully complex, beautifully structured and concentrated.

Fidelio is the name of the only opera that Ludwig van Beethoven ever composed. It was also the password needed to gain access to a secret ceremony in the 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut. Realm commissioned artist Sylvia Ji to create the art for this label, which draws on Mexican folk art for inspiration. Ji chose a light color palette to reflect the white wine; the mask is her reference to Eyes Wide Shut.

Bòggina is a Sangiovese cru and a testament to the winemaking foresight of Petrolo’s founder, Gastone Bazzocchi, who planted the vineyard in 1952 and saw the great quality potential of the vineyard early on. Over the years, the vineyard has been replanted little by little with a massale selection to preserve the diversity of the original clones. Bòggina showcases the great expression of a 100% Sangiovese that Petrolo’s unique terroir and microclimate are capable of producing.

Coming primarily from the Ornellaia’s younger vineyard sites and made with the same passion and attention to detail as the estate’s flagship wine, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia combines generosity and depth of flavor with an engaging and vibrant personality. Made to be more approachable, yet delivering the quality experience of Ornellaia, Merlot has a dominant role in this wine in contrast to the Cabernet Sauvignon in Ornellaia. 

From a wine of utter charm, La Fleur-Petrus has through the developments of the last 20 years become a wine of profound depth and complexity, all the while retaining its irresistible, seductive edge. You could even call it the archetype of  Pomerol.

Today the estate is composed 90% of Merlot with an average vine age of 30 years and 10% of Cabernet Franc with an average vine age of 50 years. Christian Moueix’ obsessive work in the vineyard focuses on sap flow and the treatment of each vine individually. In the cellar, vinifications are extremely precise but quite traditional.

Working with just over three acres of vines in this famed vineyard, Rocche Dell’Annunziata is not just home for Trediberri, but also its heart. To hear winemaker Nicola Oberto speak passionately of this vineyard is to hear him discuss a lifelong love affair. He was literally born in front of the vineyard, with memories of kicking a soccer ball around the muddy vines at four years old. Like any wine of this stature, this Barolo will age for decades, but unlike many of its peers, it delivers immediate pleasure too.

Like all wines from Trediberri, the Barolo possesses a thorough line of elegance and purity. Notable for its drinkability and finesse, even at a young age, there is no doubt that this wine will develop gracefully over the years. Trediberri aims for a “weightless” power to the wine, which is meant to typify the best of La Morra.

The world of rosé has expanded at extraordinary speed in recent years. That development is wonderful, as it has brought wine to the porch, the pool and the table in ways never before seen in the United States. And it’s great for rosé to be direct and refreshing, that’s a wonderful quality. We do believe a quality line needs to be drawn, however, and this rosato is a great demarcation. It is a fresh, completely delightful, and extremely affordable wine; but it is also a product with a historical context and culture, with a grape – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – that is perfectly adapted to the climate and soils to create quality rosé.  Abruzzo is one of the few regions in Italy to have an appellation entirely dedicated to rosé, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, with examples that can last many years. This rosato is simpler, but has substance below the surface.

The world of rosé has expanded at extraordinary speed in recent years. That development is wonderful, as it has brought wine to the porch, the pool and the table in ways never before seen in the United States. And it’s great for rosé to be direct and refreshing, that’s a wonderful quality. We do believe a quality line needs to be drawn, however, and this rosato is a great demarcation. It is a fresh, completely delightful, and extremely affordable wine; but it is also a product with a historical context and culture, with a grape – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – that is perfectly adapted to the climate and soils to create quality rosé.  Abruzzo is one of the few regions in Italy to have an appellation entirely dedicated to rosé, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, with examples that can last many years. This rosato is simpler, but has substance below the surface.

Langhe Nebbiolo is not only one of the greatest values in Piedmont, but often serves as a barometer for the seriousness and talents of a producer. Trediberri’s is unquestionably one of the best available. Primarily from their vineyards in La Morra and Roero, this Nebbiolo is also sourced from alongside their Dolcetto vines in Vicoforte.  As winemaker Nicola Oberto exclaims, this is “a wine that’s meant to be easy, but certainly not trivial.” It’s delightfully food friendly, playing just as nicely with charcuterie as it does with a rich ragu. 

The Trebbiano Riserva Marina Cvetic represents the ultimate expression for the estate of one of the historical vines of Abruzzo.  Like Montepulciano, Trebbiano was once thought to be a workhorse grape without the potential to produce great wine. The interpretation of this wine is original and has a character. Marina Cvetic wines have full body and are elegant and are a “lone voice” for the most demanding and technical experts.

The grapes for this Barbera are sourced  from the sandier soils of Roero and several vineyards just outside the hamlet of Torriglione. Like the Dolcetto, fermentation takes place in concrete and stainless steel tanks and only uses indigenous yeasts. Interestingly, the Barbera is the only varietal at Trediberri that is subjected to an aggressive green harvest. The resulting wine is rich and round, and the absence of oak brings intense purity.

A rosé version of La Grande Année is also made in certain vintages. Lily Bollinger agreed to a Bollinger rosé under one condition, it had to be extraordinary, and that is how La Grande Année Rosé was born: the subtle blend between a great vintage champagne and a a small percentage of red wine from one of the House’s emblematic vineyards, La Côte Aux Enfants, located in the village of Aÿ. This plot of Grand Cru is only used for red wine when the grapes are perfectly ripe. To produce a red wine of such high quality in the Champagne region is a challenge: a rare treat, a testament to the House’s expertise in Pinot Noir.

Reflecting its land and its traditional wine making methods, La Grande Année Rosé is famous for its promise of exceptional ageing qualities which makes it a great wine for cellaring. The richness of this wine is expressed by a deep color, perfectly balanced aromas and a lovely vinosity.

Trediberri’s first vintage of Dolcetto was in 2019, and was received with much enthusiasm. Starting with a grand cru, single vineyard site in the grape’s spiritual home of Dogliani, the fruit is then fermented in concrete to preserve freshness and purity the terroir. The final wine bursts with the kind of acidity that shines at the dinner table.

Year after year, Galatrona has quietly been recognized as one of the great wines of Italy and is often referred to as the Petrus of Tuscany. What it truly is, though, is beyond comparison – a wine of utter individuality reflective of the Petrolo estate and its unique location in an all but unknown appellation of Tuscany.

Jester Cabernet is a “baby” Serpico, the top Mitolo Cabernet produced using an Amarone drying process. For the Jester Cabernet, 25% of the grapes are left to dry on 10 kg drying racks for 7 weeks and 3 days in the traditional Amarone winemaking method. Jester Cabernet is upfront and approachable, delivering excellent quality for the price.

While the Villa Gemma Montepulciano was the wine that announced Abruzzo to the world, the Bianco, created just a year later, further defined what the region and grapes of Abruzzo could produce. This wine, first released in 1985, speaks to the white grape varieties specific to the region and has become on of the most exciting wines produced at the estate.

The Russian River Selection bottlings are quintessential Russian River Valley wines blended from some of the winery’s top vineyard sources. They are beautiful expressions of their varietal type and of the appellation’s unique terroir, each blend capturing the richness, purity and elegance that are Gary Farrell Winery’s trademarks. This layered and complex Chardonnay brings together fruit from several of our favorite Russian River Valley vineyard sites.

Jester Cabernet is a “baby” Serpico, the top Mitolo Cabernet produced using an Amarone drying process. For the Jester Cabernet, 25% of the grapes are left to dry on 10 kg drying racks for 7 weeks and 3 days in the traditional Amarone winemaking method. Jester Cabernet is upfront and approachable, delivering excellent quality for the price.