2021 Realm Houyi Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Realm's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. From a terrific vintage, it offers up seductive notes of black cherries that hint at surmaturité, plus hints of dark chocolate and coffee. Full-bodied and velvety on the palate, with a long, supple finish, this is pretty lush, sexy stuff.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard comes from a great vineyard (which is now owned by Realm) on Pritchard Hill. Lots of gravelly earth and mineral as well as blue fruit, chocolate, leather, and violet notes emerge on the nose, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with beautiful tannins and flawless balance. It's incredibly complex and brings plenty of mountain structure and concentration on the palate while holding onto a beautiful sense of finesse and elegance. It needs 4-5 years and will shine over the following two decades or more.
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard is silky, delicate and very pretty. In that sense, it is a classic wine for this year. Crushed red berry fruit, cedar, mint, tobacco and a kiss of French oak all grace this unusually supple, racy Cabernet Sauvignon. Beautifully persistent, the 2021 is all understatement and class. This is an especially mid-weight style for Pritchard Hill. Perhaps because of that, the new oak is a touch prominent. The 2021 is a blend of five blocks off this site, all Cabernet Sauvignon. I expect this wine will become more complex as Realm now has access to the entire property.