The 2017 Realm Cellars Houyi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from California, USA is a captivating expression of the varietal. Deep ruby in colour, this wine offers a complex bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, dark cherries, and hints of cedar and cocoa. On the palate, the flavours are rich and concentrated, with layers of dark fruits, spices, and a touch of vanilla. The tannins are firm yet silky, providing a velvety texture and a long, lingering finish. This full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon is well-balanced and showcases the exceptional quality of the Houyi Vineyard. With its elegant structure and bold flavours, this wine is a true representation of the impeccable craftsmanship of Realm Cellars. Enjoy it now or cellar it for a few years to allow it to fully develop its potential. An excellent choice for a special occasion or to pair with hearty dishes.

The 2017 Realm Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from California, USA, is a true masterpiece. On the nose, this wine presents a bold and complex bouquet of dark fruits, including blackberry, cassis, and plum, intertwined with notes of cedar, tobacco, and vanilla from 22 months of aging in French oak barrels. The deep ruby color is alluring, hinting at the wine's rich and robust palate. On the palate, this full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon delivers a symphony of flavors, with layers of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, and spice, balanced by firm tannins and a long, silky finish. This vintage showcases the exceptional quality of the renowned To Kalon Vineyard, and it is a testament to the skill and dedication of Realm Cellars. Enjoy now or cellar for years to come.

William Kelley is better known as the Wine Advocate's mould-breaking wine critic. Yet he is also a very gifted winemaker and now, winegrower. Kelley’s micro-Burgundy project released its first wines from the 2019 vintage, and the ambitious pricing has not dampened the fervour—the wines are as remarkable as they are rare. Yet Kelley’s first foray into winemaking did not start in Beaune, Pommard or Gevrey-Chambertin but in the quiet, pastoral AVA of Clarksburg on the outskirts of Sacramento. Rolling back to 2016, Kelley recalls that he and friend-slash-business partner Frank Ingriselli were looking for organically farmed old vines in Californian sub-regions where variety aligned with climate, which led them to Chenin in Clarksburg. “We then applied artisanal French winemaking techniques and sort of waited to see what happened,” he recalls. What happened is that Beau Rivage promptly reset the conversation around the potential to craft world-class Chenin Blanc from Californian soils. Made in Calistoga, this increasingly impressive Chenin Blanc is drawn from some of Clarksburg’s oldest vines, planted in the 1960s and sourced from a long-term organic grower. The grapes are picked in two lots: those from the sunny side of the vine were crushed to release extract, while fruit from the shadier side was pressed as whole clusters using a very long, firm cycle. The musts are fermented with indigenous yeasts and were raised in eight-year-old, low-toast Burgundy barrels. William Kelley uses more and more solids each year, with the wine building texture and drive from its time on lees. Expect a tension-filled and chalky white marrying the engaging texture of well-ripened Chenin Blanc with lovely clarity, fine-boned texture and impressive length. It doesn’t seem too early to call this out as a new Californian benchmark for the variety.