The Name
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane is the vineyard in the St. Helena AVA from which we source this Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. It is owned by Andy Beckstoffer. The vineyard was originally planted in 1858 by Dr. George Belden Crane.

The Label
As with our previous Beckstoffer Dr. Crane label, the current label (first used with the 2021 vintage) honors the history of the Dr. Crane Vineyard, home to St. Helena’s Chinatown in the 19th century. The artwork, commissioned by Realm from the Chinese artist, Yang Jiechang, is entitled 17 White Clouds. It incorporates cranes – known to represent longevity and wisdom in Chinese culture – and a “scholar’s rock,” considered a source of energy and an image found in many poems and paintings. At Realm we think of this rock as signifying Dr. Crane’s inimitable “sense of place,” while the cranes are indicative of the wine’s longevity.

We discovered Yang Jiechang through a gallerist friend, and we are thrilled to have his artwork represented on one of Realm’s most distinguished wines. Yang’s compositions can be found in numerous private collections, and his art has been featured at renowned museums internationally for decades. We began collaborating with him in 2020, holding Zoom meetings with Yang (who speaks Chinese and French) and his wife (who speaks Chinese, French, English and German). Eventually we traveled to Paris where we met the artist at his studio. After learning more about Realm, he agreed to work with us.

Yang brings both Eastern and Western sensibilities to his art. In his paintings, he often works in monochromatic ink, a traditional Asian medium, but he brings a contemporary perspective to the time-honored tools and techniques of his home country. In this he reminds us of Realm’s approach to winemaking: one foot in tradition, the other in innovation.

At 40” x 38,” 17 White Clouds, ink and mineral colors on silk, was completed in 2021. It hangs in the Realm’s Whiskey Hotel.