Realm Cellars

Realm Cellars is a wine producer founded in 2002 by Juan Bianchi. It owns no land or physical winery – rather, it purchases fruit on contract from vineyards across Napa Valley, and makes the wines at a custom crush facility. Realm is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon from premium vineyards – including To Kalon, Dr. Crane, and Farella – and is quickly becoming one of Napa Valley's cult producers.

Juan Bianchi originally worked in hospital administration before moving into the wine industry in the 1990s, working harvests at Livingston Moffett Wines and Pax Wine Cellars. In 2002, he bought five tons of Cabernet Sauvignon from the famed To Kalon vineyard and five tons of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from Dominus Estate's Napanook Vineyard, and Realm Cellars was born. Since 2007, Realm has been made at Chateau Boswell, off the Silverado Trail in St Helena.

The wines at Realm follow a Shakespearean theme, and every bottle has a quote from King Richard II: "This blessed plot, this earth, this realm…" The wines are named after various Shakespeare plays. While the Beckstoffer To Kalon and Dr. Crane Cabernets are the most coveted offerings, there are also wines called Tempest, The Bard and Falstaff. All the wines made at Realm tend towards the powerful and luscious.

Realm has a devoted mailing list, and much of the wine is sold directly to members, or to restaurants.