Benchmark Wines by
Larkmead
The Winery
Larkmead
As one of the oldest, family-owned grape-growing estates in the Napa Valley, Larkmead was established by Lillie Hitchcock Coit in 1895 but is now under the stewardship of proprietors Cam Baker and Kate Solari Baker. Due to decades of alluvial fans and a concentrated 300 feet of well-drained, ancient gravel, the historic site’s 150 acres make for an idyllic terroir for the range in varietals that Larkmead produces. The estate vineyard is divided into three blocks based on the property’s diversity, and all of the wines are made solely from the fruit grown on these blocks. The estate’s portfolio is as diverse as their soil with a focus on old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and the rare Italian variety of Tocai Friulano.
Tasting Notes
- WA93
- The stunning 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari Reserve is a fair value given the inflated pricing for so many California Cabernets. Aged in 100% new French oak, this limited cuvee exhibits a saturated black/purple color in addition to big, sweet aromas of creosote interwoven with road tar, creme de cassis, cedar, and vanilla. Full-bodied, powerful, concentrated, and exceptionally pure, with loads of glycerin and sweet tannin in the finish, it is young and unevolved, but exceptionally promising. Atypical for a 2001, it is soft enough to be drunk young, but 2-3 years of cellaring is suggested. Drink it over the following 15+ years.
- WS92
- Firm and muscular with a dense, rich, concentrated core of blackberry, currant and plum flavors supported by tight tannins and framed by cedary oak; this wine combines power with touches of finesse.
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