98 Points Jeb Dunnuck - The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Moonracer comes from south-facing blocks on the estate in Stags Leap and is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. The tannins here are a step up, and this beauty boasts a gorgeous nose of red and black fruits, tobacco leaf, violets, and spice. It’s a more elegant, medium to full-bodied, seamless wine, accurately described as an iron fist in a velvet glove by winemaker Benoit Touquette. The balance is spot on and it has plenty of up-front appeal, yet it’s going to evolve gracefully for 20-25 years with no issues.
97 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - Moonracer comes exclusively from Realm’s Stags Leap estate vineyard, completely farmed by the Realm team. The blend this year is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Moonracer needs a little swirling to begin to reveal a gorgeous perfume of candied violets, boysenberries and blueberry pie with wafts of red and black currant jelly, spice cake and camphor, plus a touch of cedar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has captivating elegance and expression with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory.
97 Points Vinous - From the Realm Estate in Stags Leap, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Moonracer is an elegant, sophisticated Cabernet that shows the nuanced side of Stags Leap in its red-toned fruit profile, floral aromatics and mid-weight structure. I would give the 2019 at least a few years in the bottle. There is a certain approachability to the 2019, but ultimately I think that might be a bit deceptive relative to the wine's ultimate potential.
Realm Cellars’ first estate wine from our vineyard on Wappo Hill in the Stags Leap District. It is said this elevated site was important to the Wappo Native Americans as it provided the tribe with a central lookout from which to identify intruders and such. The Wappos, though small in number, were known for their bravery, strength and athleticism. Jack London, who wrote about the curious inter-tribal races that took place during full moons, noted that the Wappos often won. Thus Moonracer, an oblique reference to the earliest inhabitants of the place Realm calls home.
The Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine is composed of the finest lots from the vineyard. Winemaker Benoit Touquette has a lot to choose from, as the site, with its multiple blocks, elevations, facings and diverse soils, has character in spades. Moonracer bears the unmistakable mark of this stimulating vineyard, as well as the Stags Leap District. Strong, powerful, yet elegant, with refined tannins and plenty of depth. What Benoit calls “intellectual.” “It’s a wine that will appeal to both international and American palates. It walks the line, combining characteristics typical of northern and southern Napa Valley. It’s got plenty of fruit but also layered flavors, depth and complexity.
