Red Blend "Farella Vineyard", Realm Cellars, Napa, CA, 2021

Farella Vineyard is Realm’s Estate vineyard in the Coombsville AVA. A fantastically complex site in the foothills of the Vaca Mountain range, the vineyard lies in one of the cooler regions of the Napa Valley. The site features layers of volcanic tufa, red decomposed rock and ashy deposits from ancient landslides, vast geologic episodes that literally turned this vineyard on its head. The 25 acres of vines are divided into numerous blocks with elevations ranging between 300 and 500 feet. Varying slopes create distinct microclimates and soil compositions, and the vineyard’s diversity is suitable for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Realm has produced a Single Vineyard Cabernet from Farella since 2003. In 2018, we had the good fortune to partner with the Farella family on a plan to become long-term stewards of the estate.

The core of Realm’s Farella Cabernet comes from a high point in the vineyard, a block referred to as “rockpile” because of the preponderance of stone and gravel in the soil. This block is bathed in afternoon sunlight during the growing season and the wine - concentrated and beautifully-structured - consistently shows a mix of red and black fruits with spice and mineral overtones. Farella has been historically 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, comprising Clones 4 and 8, but we began working with Merlot in the 2019 vintage.