The 2018 Hartwell XX is an extremely limited estate Cabernet from Realm, produced from old vines at the very top of its Wappo Hill property. The original vines were planted in 1986 using Cabernet cuttings from Grace Family Vineyards. Production is tiny—Realm lists approximately 200 cases.
Professional Ratings
| Critic |
Rating |
| Vinous – Antonio Galloni |
⭐ 98 points |
| Wine Advocate |
97+ points |
| Jeb Dunnuck |
97 points |
| James Suckling |
96 points |
These scores are consistently reported by multiple sources.
Vinous – 98: Galloni praises its depth and expressiveness, highlighting mocha, espresso, licorice, spice and gravel, with impressive gravitas and vineyard character.
Wine Advocate – 97+: Shows blackberry, crushed blackcurrant, blueberry, black cherry, tea, roses and earthy nuances. Firm, grainy tannins and lively freshness frame a very long, mineral-driven finish.
Jeb Dunnuck – 97: The blend is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, with cassis, blueberry, flowers, crushed stone and licorice. Dunnuck emphasizes its elegance, richness, integrated oak and exceptional length.
James Suckling – 96: Finds ripe cherry, black plum, clove, nutmeg, dried herbs, bark and dark chocolate, with concentrated fruit, firm tannins and a long savory finish.
Tasting Profile
Nose: Cassis, blackberry, blueberry and black cherry layered with violet, mocha, espresso, licorice, graphite, herbs and spice.
Palate: Full-bodied and concentrated yet remarkably elegant. Dense black fruit is supported by firm, refined tannins, vibrant acidity and crushed-stone minerality.
Finish: Exceptionally long, structured and savory, with lingering cassis, dark chocolate, espresso, graphite and spice. Realm's own 2025 retrospective described the 2018 as massive and concentrated but never heavy, with a creamy texture and long finish.
Sommelier’s Take
This is one of Realm’s most collectible and historically significant Cabernets. It combines the power of elite Napa Cabernet with the elegance and mineral character of Stags Leap. At eight years old, it is entering a compelling drinking window, but has the structure for decades of further development.
98pts Vinous
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hartwell Vineyard is sourced from two blocks at the top of Realm's estate vineyard in Stags Leap planted with Grace Clone Cabernet. These were the parcels that were previously used for Hartwell's T5 Cabernet, hence the name. Deep, pliant and super expressive, the 2019 is positively stellar today. Mocha, espresso, licorice, spice and gravel infuse the 2018 with notable gravitas and character. It will be fascinating to see how this site is developed in the future. An additional eight acres or so are due to be planted in the near future with a collection of heritage clones.
97 Points Wine Advocate
Realm's latest awfully clever move is to purchase the old Hartwell property, constituting the highest blocks above their already estate-owned Stags Leap District vineyard (the source for Moonracer). The vines planted here originate from budwood acquired by Bob Hartwell (the previous owner) from Dick Grace of Grace Family Vineyards in the 1980s. They feel that this label, made exclusively from these upper blocks, "pays tribute to the lineage and history of Napa Valley."
Deep purple-black colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hartwell (Grace Clone) leaps from the glass with bold blackberries, crushed blackcurrants and wild blueberries scents plus wafts of black cherry compote, oolong tea, red roses and fragrant earth. The palate has beautiful restraint, revealing medium to full-bodied elegance with a very structured, firm, grainy texture and lively freshness, finishing very long with lots of mineral and earth sparks. There is so much latent power waiting to burst out of this wine, I wouldn't be surprised if it warrants a higher score when revisited in 10 years' time.
97pts Jeb Dunnuck
A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Hartwell Grace was previously made as Hartwell T5. A deep purple hue is followed by rock star notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, flowers, crushed stone, and licorice. Bright, perfumed, and elegant on the palate, it still packs stunning richness and depth, has integrated background oak, and serious length on the finish. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age but should be long-lived. It's a brilliant wine.
96pts James Suckling
Ripe cherries, black plums, cloves, nutmeg and dried herbs on the nose. Bark and dark chocolate on the palate. It’s full-bodied and concentrated with firm, chewy tannins. Long finish with savory walnut notes. Drink from 2024.
History
Hartwell XX is an estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from blocks at the very top of our property on Wappo Hill. This 2-acre parcel was planted in 1986 by Bob Hartwell, who used cuttings of Grace Family Vineyard’s Bosche clone he had acquired from his friend, Dick Grace. 1990 was the first vintage from those vines, and the early wines of Hartwell Estate Vineyards were made at the Grace winery. Realm was given the opportunity to purchase these blocks in 2020, having acquired nearly 20 acres from the Hartwell family in 2015.
As Hartwell’s winemaker, Benoit had made a separate wine from these upper blocks for many years. Although our inclination could have been to simply fold these blocks into Moonracer, Benoit knew from experience that the Cabernets from the upper and lower blocks are quite distinct. When Benoit had Scott taste the upper block wines going back to the 1990s, the difference was obvious. The Grace/Bosche clone is part of that, but the soils up top are also different, more homogenous with pure, fragmented sandstone. And because the top is relatively flat, the exposure is more uniform than the lower hillside blocks.
The 2020 purchase of acreage included the 2018 and 2019 wines from these blocks, and we will continue to make Hartwell XX – named in part for the year we purchased the land - as a separate wine. The blocks need to be replanted, and our plan is to expand a bit to create five one-acre blocks, each one planted to a different Napa Valley heritage clone - the second origin of the XX name. One acre will consist of the Grace/Bosche clone, preserved from clean budwood. There’s a legacy here we want to honor, a continuity that goes all the way back to the relationship between the Grace and Hartwell families.
