Our #1 Bestselling Napa Cab 6pk Shop Napa Cabs
2023 Realm Cellars The Tempest Proprietary Red 3pk 3x750ml

97 points from James Suckling. Realm's first proprietary blend — three bottles from Napa's landmark 2023.

Medal graphicMedal graphicMedal graphic

2023 Realm Cellars The Tempest Proprietary Red 3pk 3x750ml

97 points from James Suckling. Realm's first proprietary blend — three bottles from Napa's landmark 2023.

Retail $600
$450
$150 / bottle when you buy the 3-pack
You save $150
  • "Soft and Supple Yet Well-Balanced and Fresh in Style." ~ 97 JS
  • "Pure, Layered Merlot Has Tons to Love and Will Evolve for Two Decades" ~96 JD
  • "One of the Most Phenomenal Vintages Ever in Napa Valley" ~Karen MacNeil
  • Realm's Pomerol-Inspired Blend — 61% Merlot
  • Three Bottles, Cellar to 2045
Find out more
In Stock
FREE Ground shipping over 12+ Bottles
Satisfaction guaranteed Love every bottle or we make it right
Image of 2023 Realm Cellars The Tempest Proprietary Red 3pk 3x750ml 2023 Realm Cellars The Tempest Proprietary Red 3pk 3x750ml
$600
$450
$150 / bottle when you buy the 3-pack
You save $150

About The Wine

The Tempest is where Realm started. 2002, borrowed equipment, a winery that wasn't finished, and three grape varieties that happened to come available from the same vineyard at the same time. Blind luck, or the proverbial perfect storm. They named it accordingly.

It has always been the Merlot wine. Realm points at Pomerol as the model, and the sourcing follows that logic — cooler-climate Merlot out of Oak Knoll and Coombsville, not the big warm valley floor sites you'd expect from a Napa house with this reputation. Production sits around 2,000 cases.

The 2023 is 61% Merlot, with 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Petite Sirah. Eleven months in French oak, 72% of it new, bottled in January 2025. What comes out is dark cherry and plum with a floral lift over the top, chocolate and tobacco underneath, and tannins that are already fine and settled. Medium to full, but nothing heavy about it.

That's the part worth understanding. Most Napa reds at this level ask you to wait. This one is drinking now and will still be drinking in twenty years. Three bottles is the right number — open one, and you'll know what to do with the other two.

Find out more

At A Glance

Varietal:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Region:
Napa Valley
Sub-Appellation:
Napa Valley
Alcohol:
14.6%
Size:
750ml

TASTING NOTES

What's in the Glass

PAIRS WITH
Ribeye · Lamb · Duck · Mushroom Dish · Cheese

Mouthfeel & Acidity

Light Body Full Body
 
 
 
 
 
Low Acidity High Acidity
 
 
 
 
 
Soft Tannins Firm Tannins
Dry Sweet

61% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petite Sirah, aged eleven months in 72% new French oak.

Rose petal and cherry mint on the nose, with dark chocolate sitting underneath. Black cherry and dark plum lead the palate, trailed by sweet raspberry, chocolaty herbs, tobacco, and a gravelly earth note. Medium to full-bodied, smooth and silky, with integrated acidity and fine-grained tannins that are already settled. The finish is long and carries a hint of mocha.

Drinking well now. Built to evolve for two decades.

CRITIC REVIEWS

What the Critics Said

"A subtle, rich and creamy blend of grape varieties dominated by 61% merlot. Aromas of rose petal, dark chocolate, cherry mint and flavors of dark plums and sweet raspberries. Soft and supple yet well-balanced and fresh in style. Drink or hold." ~97 James Suckling

"Roughly the same blend and sourcing as the 2022, Realm's 2023 The Tempest displays a lovely herbal-floral element not seen in prior releases. Combined with the intense black cherries, the result is something special. In the mouth, this medium- to full-bodied wine is smooth and silky. Long, with hints of mocha on the finish and framed by fine-grained tannins, this is elegant, lovely stuff." ~96 Wine Advocate

"Based on 61% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Sirah and aged 11 months in 72% new French oak, the 2023 The Tempest was bottled in January 2025. It offers beautifully textured and upfront black cherries, chocolaty herbs, tobacco, and gravelly earth. Medium to full-bodied, it has integrated acidity, sweet tannins, and a great finish. This pure, layered Merlot has tons to love and will evolve for two decades. Drink 2025-2045." ~96 Jeb Dunnuck

THE PRODUCER

Realm Cellars

Realm Cellars is one of Napa Valley's most sought-after cult producers, crafting powerful yet remarkably balanced Cabernet Sauvignon–based wines from some of the region's most prestigious vineyards, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Dr. Crane, and Houyi. Known for meticulous vineyard selection and a commitment to expressing site over style, Realm has earned a reputation for producing some of California's most critically acclaimed and collectible wines.

Realm Cellars

Related categories

Explore Big Hammer Wines

THE BHW WINE CLUBS

Most people never get access to someone who actually knows wine.

5,000+
wines tasted yearly
25 years
inside the global trade
4%
make the cut
1 of 415
Italian Wine Ambassadors worldwide
Wine pack

Founder Wine Club

  • 12 bottles per quarter, personally selected
  • Quarterly tasting notes
  • Member pricing on all single bottles
  • Priority allocation on limited releases
  • Access to the BHW member newsletter
$417 / month
You receive $500+ in wine value monthly
Join the Founder's Club
$4,999 billed once • 12-month membership • Shipping included
Wine pack

President’s Wine Club

  • Everything in Founder's Club, plus:
  • Private quarterly tasting call with Greg
  • Access to pre-release allocations
  • Comparable market value exceeding $12,000 annually
$833 / month
You receive $1000+ in wine value monthly
Join the President's Club
$9,995 billed once • 12-month membership • Shipping included
Medal graphicMedal graphicMedal graphicMedal graphicMedal graphicMedal graphic