98-99 Point Wines

wines

The 2022 Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was one of Realm’s first harvests that year, coming in just before the early September heat hit. The blend is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shoots from the glass with bold notes of fresh blackberries and blackcurrants, plus hints of crushed rocks, dried sage, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is electric with black fruit and mineral layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and incredible tension, finishing long and earthy. This is on the crunchier side of Dr. Crane fruit, and I love it!The Wine Independent | 99 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is terrific. It shows the natural richness of the year, but its balance is better vis-à-vis the To Kalon, as evidenced by the lifted, bright aromatics and mid-palate pliancy. I admire the energy and vibrancy here. Rose petal, lavender, spice and blood orange are beautifully amplified. Bright acids pull it all together on the close. The Dr. Crane is one the finer wines in the range this year.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Cassis, graphite, smoked tobacco, and hints of chocolate all define the 2022 Scarecrow, and this sensational effort shows what can be achieved in challenging vintages with incredible terroir, old vines, and a brilliant winemaker. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, balanced, and with velvety tannins, it has a layered mouthfeel and terrific length on the finish. It’s a more forward, sexy example of this cuvee than normal but is just a sensational effort in this challenging vintage. As with most 2022s, it has plenty of upfront charm and appeal, yet this has the depth and density to evolve for over two decades. The 2022 is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec, all of which spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. This is easily in the top 2-3 wines in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2022 Scarecrow is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the J.J. Cohn vineyard, nestled up against the lower slopes of the Mayacamas. Bottled in July 2024, it features mixed red and black cherries on the nose, plus hints of cassis and pencil shavings. In the mouth, it’s full-bodied and silky, the wood bringing structure—and maybe even a bit of freshness—to the wine this year, prolonging the finish and helping to shape the palate into a more linear shape. Not quite up to the lofty standards of the 2019 or 2021 vintages, it’s still a stunning Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that should evolve nicely for two decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is soft, seamless and polished. Winemaker Celia Welch turned out a sublime wine in this incredibly challenging year. A wine with no hard edges, the 2022 is impeccable from start to finish. Sumptuous dark red fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, new leather and incense all build beautifully in the glass. This is a terrific 2022.Vinous Media | 96 VM