100pts Wine Advocate
This ultimate vintage expression is always a mystery blend of grape varieties and vineyard sources, representing the cream of the crop, aspiring to the extent of proprietor Scott Becker’s and winemaker Benoit Touquette’s imagination, and beyond. Deepest purple-black colored, the 2019 The Absurd captivates the mind straight away, offering a perfume so infused it requires great focus to pick out scents of blackberry preserves, juicy black plums and crème de cassis, needing some swirling to unlock the undercurrent of Indian spices, cracked black pepper, iris and chocolate mint, plus a hint of cast-iron pan. The taut, muscular, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with black fruit preserves and fragrant accents, supported by a rock-solid foundation of ripe, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing with all the generosity and shimmer that is the signature of the great 2019 vintage in Napa Valley. A breathtaking triumph! Allow it to unwind and expand over the next 5-7 years, then drink it over the following 30 years+.
100pts Jeb Dunnuck
Another perfect wine in the lineup is the 2019 The Absurd, and while I wasn’t able to get the blend or vineyard sources (they like to keep that a secret), it’s a thrilling, magical wine that tops out on my scale. More dense and concentrated than the Dr. Crane, especially on the mid-palate, it has an incredible, full-bodied, powerful style that carries ample darker cassis and blue fruits as well as scorched earth, tobacco, graphite, and violets. With a monster of a mid-palate, incredible tannins, no hard edges, and a level of purity that’s hard to describe, this needs to be forgotten for at least 4-5 years, and it should have 40-50 years of overall longevity.
98pts Vinous
The 2019 Absurd is Realm's barrel selection of top lots. Deep & fleshy, the 2019 possesses remarkable depth. Bright floral accents perk up a core of red/purplish fruit as the 2019 fleshes out in the glass, showing tons of finesse and poise.
96pts James Suckling
Flashy and aromatic with lots of perfume and floral character, from purple violets to lavender with some peaches. Full-bodied with tight, firm and creamy tannins that are polished and layered. Tight at the end. There’s a 1990 vibe to this and it needs time to soften.
Winemaker Notes
The Absurd stems from a simple yet fantastically complex proposition: it’s the very best wine that Realm Cellars produces. It began in 2005, a big, gorgeous vintage that gave the winery an abundance of glorious fruit. With no rules, no restrictions, they created what they called the super blend, the best of the best.
The Absurd is only made in certain years, when there is enough fruit to make this small blend without impacting the other Realm wines. The Absurd could be one varietal, it could be five. It could come from one vineyard lot, it could come from a dozen. Each time they make The Absurd they start with a blank canvas. The sole guideline is the palate. The sole aim is the best Napa Valley wine of the vintage.
