Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Realm Cellars – Farella Vineyard – Red– 2021
Coombsville AVA – Napa Valley – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A site-driven, estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Realm Cellars’ Farella Vineyard in the cool-climate Coombsville AVA. The 2021 vintage is composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a high-elevation block within the vineyard known as the “rockpile,” named for its dense concentration of stone and gravel soils. This unique position in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains delivers natural freshness, complexity, and refined structure.

Aromas & Flavors
Layered aromas of red and black cherry, cassis, and ripe plum unfold alongside graphite, crushed stone, subtle floral tones, and hints of cedar. As the wine opens, nuanced notes of spice, earth, and mineral depth continue to build, revealing impressive complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium-to-full bodied with a remarkably polished and silky texture. The tannins are refined and seamless, offering structure without weight. Fresh acidity from the cool Coombsville site carries the wine effortlessly through a long, graceful finish.

Food Pairings
Herb-crusted lamb, grilled filet mignon, roasted duck breast, mushroom-forward dishes, or aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A beautifully composed Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that emphasizes elegance over brute force. Complex, multi-layered, and progressively expressive, this is a refined interpretation of mountain-influenced Coombsville Cabernet.

Did You Know?
Coombsville is one of Napa Valley’s coolest AVAs, influenced by morning fog and volcanic soils from the Vaca Mountain range, often producing Cabernets with heightened aromatic complexity and natural acidity.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
I was genuinely surprised by how smooth and delicate this wine is for a site of such intensity. Multi-layered, graceful, and beautifully balanced, it’s an exceptional Cabernet that showcases finesse as much as depth. — 4 days ago

Ash & Chris

9.0

Smooth. Good all rounder, you couldn’t be offended by it — 4 years ago

Sarah Petrosky

9.9

Fruity nose, light mouth feel but a dry finish. Not too dry though. Definitely get again — 5 years ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.1

Really great. Aged perfectly. — a month ago

Cathy Levy

9.3

Under rated vintage. Lovely, dark and full bodied. Enjoyed very much with a steak. — 7 months ago

Willie Carter

9.1

Pure joy in the bottle. A fun summer afternoon back in the day spent with that girl that you still think about when that song comes on. Clear lemon in the glass with faint green flecks. Big floral aromatics initially with herbs and mint. Ripe pears and lemon curd with a dash of honeydew. Apple juice and fresh cut grass.

Richer and more full bodied than you were expecting with high acidity. Really, really nice texture and mouthfeel going on here. Vivacious and lively throughout. The attack is dominated by memories of her before things fell apart. When life was good and the sun shined a little more brightly. An exciting and lovely wine. — 3 years ago

Mark Mannebach

9.2

Bright sharp wine with smooth texture & notes. The earthiness is subtle and adds to complexity — 4 months ago

Steve Sánchez

9.3

Polished domestic Merlot. Very savory on the nose. Almost classic Bordeaux in style , green olive and olive tapenade. Oregano and thyme with just a hint of oak hut not overly in your face. Beautiful inky hue. Lots of great tannin and acidity on the backbone of this wine. Plenty of room to keep aging. Blackberries and blueberries upfront. Fantastic finish that lingers without feeling big heat. Very well balanced at 14.5% — 2 years ago

Jeff Miller

9.1

This was the single vineyard Jackson Park Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Aromatics of Talc, white flowers a little peach and grapefruit. On the palate citrus and peach with diminishing acid. Just a fabulous mature Riesling with just a hint of petro chemical developing in the form of paraffin. It stamps the Great Southern in Western Australia as one of the premium Riesling districts in Australia. One of the 1001 wines and deserves to be. James Halliday wrote “year in, year out, one of Australia’s best Rieslings”. — 4 years ago