The 2019 Moonracer is Realm’s flagship estate Cabernet from its vineyard on Wappo Hill in Stags Leap District. The vintage is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, combining serious power and concentration with the silky tannins and elegance for which Stags Leap is famous.
Professional Ratings
| Critic |
Rating |
| Jeb Dunnuck |
⭐ 98 points |
| Wine Advocate |
97+ points |
| Vinous – Antonio Galloni |
97 points |
| James Suckling |
97 points |
These scores are consistently reported across multiple professional wine sources.
Jeb Dunnuck – 98: Highlights red and black fruit, tobacco leaf, violets and spice, praising its seamless texture, exceptional balance and combination of muscular structure with velvety refinement. He expects it to evolve beautifully for 20–25 years.
Wine Advocate – 97+: Finds candied violet, boysenberry, blueberry, currant, spice and cedar. Plush tannins and seamless freshness give the wine considerable elegance, finishing long and savory.
Vinous – 97: Antonio Galloni emphasizes the wine's more sophisticated side—red-toned fruit, floral aromatics and refined structure—calling it an elegant expression of Stags Leap Cabernet.
James Suckling – 97: Notes floral character, graphite, earth and lead-pencil nuances, with dense, velvety tannins balanced by impressive energy and agility.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Cassis, blackberry, boysenberry, red currant and violet layered with graphite, tobacco, cedar, cardamom and earthy spice.
Palate: Medium-to-full bodied, concentrated and exceptionally polished. Dense black and red fruit meets velvety tannins, vibrant freshness and pronounced graphite minerality. Despite its power, it remains graceful and energetic.
Finish: Very long and savory, with lingering cassis, violet, graphite, tobacco and fine-grained tannins.
Sommelier’s Take
Moonracer 2019 is an outstanding example of modern Napa Cabernet—powerful without being heavy and luxurious without sacrificing freshness. Realm winemaker Benoit Touquette has produced a wine with tremendous depth, but its hallmark is the classic Stags Leap combination of intensity and silky texture.
With 98 JD, 97+ WA, 97 Vinous and 97 JS, this is unquestionably a serious collector-level Napa Cabernet. It is entering an excellent drinking window now, although it has the structure to develop beautifully into the 2040s.
