Tasted this in 2020 and the notes are very similar: Nice Napa cabernet with good structure and core dark fruit. Just a bit of heat on the slightly velvet finish that took about 2 points off. The tannins were shed and this wine seem to be drinking nicely. Still very youthful. A short decant but I do not think the heat goes away with a longer one.
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Second bottle this week. The first left in the fridge with the top off for two days. The second pandp. The first lasted and improved. The second absolutely delicious. Pretty much the same notes as before. Still expecting this to grit the 20 year mark. Right now at its peak and no indication it is anywhere near going downhill
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PNP and paired with grilled NY strips. Black / red in the glass with a slight change from rim to center. On nose, cassis, blackberry, sweet cherry (only with lots of air), cinnamon, bell pepper and touch of dark chocolate.
Full body, medium+ acidity, medium tannins and very long finish. Still fruit primary (not as complex as nose) - blackberry, black cherry, black currants. Aging beautifully. 94+/-
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2nd bottle of 4, I last had a bottle about 2 yrs ago. Lovely, deep and inky, with an inviting nose of red and black fruits, hot tar, some cassis, espresso grounds, and mint. On the palate, full bodied, with great presence on the palate, deep and dark fruit flavors alongside earthy elements and tar. The acidity is very good for the fullness of this wine, keeping it fresh and delightful. A lovely Napa Cab, drink now through 2028 or so.
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Bought at the vineyard in 2013 and have been looking forward to drinking...Caught it at a good time right now, though plenty of years ahead with this one. Overall solid Napa Cab with everything you'd hope for, deep rich fruit but balanced. 2010 might be one of my favorite Napa vintages. And I love this estate, though wasn't a fan of the people working at the vineyard/tasting, I remember them pushing me to buy wines. Would've bought a lot more if they weren't so pushy.
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Black in the glass. On nose, cassis, blackberry, black cherry, plum and cedar. On palate, full body, elegant mouthfeel, medium acidity/ tannins and very long finish. Palate flavor profile of cassis, blackberry and menthol. Has aged beautifully. 94+/-
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Barley a hint of orange at the rim. Needed an hour to really open up. Black fruits and minerals on the nose. Black fruits on the palate with more fruit showing than I rember from other tastings. Big full smooth with tannins mellowed. Given the development in the glass I think there are several more years left. Have had a number of older Larkmead which have all stood to the 20 year mark so expect the same hear. Best of the regular Larkmead bottlings.
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Purchased from vineyard and cellared since release, cork in great condition. Very funky with some horse manure, cranberry, and pomegranate. It's completely different in the mouth, beautiful silky structure with juicy ripe blue fruit and soft acidity. Finish goes on for 90 seconds.
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Beautiful nose of sweet dried dates and fig. The palate was full of black cherry and maybe blackberry! Finish was expressive with dark fruit and a hint of chocalote! A great steak wine!
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Leather and cinnamon on the nose. Cherry licorice and milk chocolate on the palate. Smooth cherry pie and espresso finish. Excellent drinking right now.
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Opened but not decanted at a NYC Steakhouse with my wine group as part of a Napa Cabernet tasting. My 3rd favorite out of 4 cabs, but really just a hair behind the the first two wines. A medium+ bodied wine with a great nose and medium long finish. Personally, I have usually preferred Larkmead's regular cabs to their higher priced premium Cuvees. I placed it behind the 2012 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder because it was slightly less complex than the O'Sh.
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1st of 4 bottles. Enjoyed 1/2 the bottle over 3 hours, will have the remainder tomorrow. Deep and regal in tone and hue, quite open-knit on the nose, showing off road tar, cassis, fresh espresso grounds, and wet forest wood. Black cherries and blackcurrant on the palate, with gorgeous interplay of earthiness and fruit. Perfect high-end Napa representation. Some grit on the moderately well-rounded tannins, and nice levels of acidity to keep this reeled-in wine from being too jammy or overdone. Drink now through 2030+.
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My second bottle of this vintage in just over a month. Really enjoyable, but this bottle took longer to open up than the one I had in June. I have 2 more left and I'll make sure to decant it next time. I had this at a NYC Steakhouse and the first half of the bottle was a pop 'n pour, while the 2nd half of the bottle sat untouched for 45 minutes. It started out with a searing tannic bite, but continually got better the entire night.
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Haven't had this since visiting the winery some six years ago. What a treat. Clearly California Cabernet, but with the elegance of a Bordeaux. Wonderfully old-school Napa. Amazing bottle. Still great freshness and plenty of years left and likely room for even more improvement.
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Popped 'n poured at a NYC Steakhouse. This was drinking so well right now. The fruit and tannins are in great balance. Really much more enjoyable than the 2014 Caymus that we had alongside it. Hard to believe that WS (88 points) and WA (95+ by Antonio Galloni) could give such different scores. I think Larkmead's "entry" level Cab is always a hit, and I prefer it to their more expensive Cabs.
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Dark damson - no bricking. Big nose - plum, red currant and vanilla. Briarly, big mouth feel, highly integrated tannins, an acid hit, big fruit - more plum. Drinking well, I don't think its going to get any better.
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Best after 3 hour slow-ox with alcohol level diminishing. Medium body, pencil shavings, loamy forest floor, cocoa, black currant, brown baking spice, mint, leather.
Lush mouthfeel, with the fruit fully incorporated with the oak and earthy undertones. Fruit is just starting to slightly turn.
I've always felt that Larkmead CS gets overlooked and is no second fiddle to the new and flashy brands. I sense the older wine making traditions with every Larkmead CS.
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Cedar and oak nose with spice, vanilla, and coconut. Layers of currant, plum, and red fruits with mint, wintergreen, black peppercorns, thyme, and cooca. Caressing finish with red currants, damp earth, cherry, roses, and super-elongated tannins forming a long and outstanding finale. 95 points.
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Only bottle sadly. At 10 years old it was in a really good spot. Great structure and balance to this wine. Not sure if I would say this wine has peaked, but I would not hesitate to open.
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Nice Napa cabernet with good structure and core fruit. Just a bit of heat on the slightly velvet finish that took about 2 points off. The tannins were shed and this wine seem to be drinking nicely. It may improve over the next five years but I bet it is close to maximum enjoyment. Have 5 bottles left so going to drink another bottle a year from now.
Still purple With ruby at the edge. Lots of life left. Have been drinking this for three years and it gets better each time. Not the typical fruit bomb Napa cab. Interesting mineral flavors imerging with tannins mellowed. Long long finish
Have multiple cases left so am going to hide two deep in the cellar and bring them out in three or four years. The others will drink on special occasions
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This was one of the first wines I bought, and I hoped it would remain a favorite and not be a victim of my changing tastes. All is well. This is lovely juice, ready from the pnp, and a thrill to have with grass-fed meat. The shocker to me is that it's now $150 on the secondary market. Yay?
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1/2 bottle. Ready from the get go from this little size. Very fruity with Black Current dominating and well integrated with mellow tannins. Quite enjoyable still.
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My reference point is the 2006. This bottle of 2010 was super-rich, far more extracted than what I am used to from this winery. Others liked it. I'd choose 2006 over this every time.
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Really really impressive. Super rich, expressive, does not feel sleepy at all. But the tannin associated with young Larkmead Cabs of this era has completely fallen into line. Huge bouquet....lilac, sage, perfume. Dark blue, truffle, spice box, chocolate. Long, long finish of balanced blueberry. I know the 2010 Cabs from Larkmead were special (many feel the best Solari to date) and I get it. Really came together in this vintage. 8-10 years for Larkmead appears to be the sweet spot. Solari is the flagship, Olmo is the new love interest, Salon and Firebelle are the niche selections....but the NV Cabernet is always incredibly consistent, no bottle variation to date, and perhaps the most complex of the group. It usually has a splash of Franc, Merlot, or Verdot (or some combo) which I think why this tends to show so well over time. A lot of the top-tier non-estate winemakers love Larkmead sourced fruit for their blends (Realm, Rivers Marie, etc.) and it shows. Well done!
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What a difference seven months and a three hour decant makes. This bottle was full of dark blackberry fruit and was highly structured. Secondary notes of cassis, dark chocolate and lavender create a nice complex finish. Really drank well tonight and highly recommend.
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PNP - much better with 30 minutes+ of air. Great with a little air (didn't need a decant) and this is near or at peak but should stay there for years.
Dark black/red color. On nose, cassis, sweet tobacco, blackberry, black cherry. On palate, similar flavor profile with full body, medium+ tannins, medium acidity and long finish. Very nice bottle of wine. 93+
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Time has not been kind to this bottling. The fresh fruits are a bit more muted, with a more aggressive showing of twiggy, green bell pepper flavors that dominate the finish. That super-pure note in the beginning that was so captivating has been masked. It’s not a bad wine by any stretch, but the most charming aspect (in my opinion) is missing. Drinks more like a usual $50-75 cali cab.
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Great bottle of wine, decanted for 20-30 minutes, dark purple color, great nose, full bodied with blue and black fruit and secondary flavors with long finish. Drinking great right now with many years ahead of it.
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Wow, y’all must have colder cellars than I, because I drank this right out of the bottle — I mean, I poured it into a glass without decanting— and it was fantastic. Round, full bodied, no hard edges, and a staggering core of creme de cassis that paired beautifully with leftover, rare ribeye. Loved it.
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This Cabernet, while very good, was not as expressive as I expected. Dark, blackberry fruit that did not really open up after an hour. Some secondary notes peaked out like cassis but generally closed throughout the night. Thought this 2010 did not need as much time but will decant for two hours next time.
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Purple to the rim. Closed right now. Not the best I have tasted. Medium bodied with significant tannins. Medium to long finish. Have given this a better score in the past year. Will try again in another six months
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This medium-bodied and well-aged Cabernet is drinking well right now, with a beautiful combination of ripe and earthy tastes. Garnet in color, medium in body, nose of plum, graphite, and herbs, with hints of flowers and burnt toast. Tastes of blueberry, boysenberry, and pencil lead, with a sweet finish that carries well-integrated, almost dusty tannins. 14.7% alcohol.
This isn't a blockbuster, but it is awfully good - an integrated and sophisticated package. I would have thought this was a few years younger - i.e., it drinks with energy and sophistication. Blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec. 93-94. Drink now.
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Gave this a 3 hour decant before dinner. Continued to open up over dinner. Enjoyed this at an off-line with Rockincabs and family
Enjoyed with some nice beef filets - pairing worked well.
Smooth Flavors of blackberry, dark cherry and some spice. Smooth flavors that have started to integrate, with some moderate tannins. Good now - likely the early end of the drinking range - still has some more years to mature in the cellar if needed.
This is a Bordeaux style blend with: 76% cab sauvignon, 7% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 7% cab franc, and 3% Malbec.
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As background, we've struggled with this cab over the past five years. 2010 was a rough vintage, and this wine reflects it. While at a well integrated point, it still has an apple like acidity and a mouth puckery tanin with a rough-ish red fruit forward taste. While better than your standard variety restaurant wine list offerings, this wine still lacks complexity eight years in. Drink up now, or wait and see if it happens to develop better notes comes once the more earthy notes come in.
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Decanted for three hours then consumed over two nights. This wine is certainly taking the slow road to maturity, but I do like its direction. The structure is finally resolving. There is a softness to the wine, cottony. but it also suggests a sense of power. Beautiful fruit brushed with cedar, it does need to add some weight and complexity. Still too young but a joy to drink now anyway. Night two was a bit more forceful.
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Decided to finally revisit - it's been a couple years since the last bottle. Dark red and black fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth and nice flavors of dark berries plus a little spice. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Improved with time. A nice wine but I guess I expected more in light of Galloni's rating of 95+. According to his review for WA, anticipated maturity 2020 to 2030 so maybe this vintage just needs more time for the fruit to fill-out some more. An interesting blend for this vintage: 76% cab sauvignon, 7% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 7% cab franc, and 3% Malbec.
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Decanted 2 hours before consumption. Juicy fruit, noticeable tannin, limited finish, all earmarks of adolescence. If you have only a few bottles, wait a couple of more years as it would be wasteful to open this wine now. Sure it is drinkable, but it will offer much more with patience.
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Much better compared to when drank 3 yrs ago. Decanted all day in anticipation of a big steak dinner. Started a tad hot even after all the decant time. Surprisingly finished as soft tannins and fruit as another noted. On medium body side. Not bombastic at all definitely a more elegant style.
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Still fairly tight, starting with monotone black fruit. After a couple hours, undertones of graphite along with red and blue fruit begin to emerge. Zero tertiary development from my sense. Unfortunately for us, it was done before it started firing on all cylinders. Recommend a 2 hour decant or waiting 2-5 more years.
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Its drinking well now, but will probably continue to improve in the bottle over the next few years. Out of the six wines we had, this was tied for my second favorite.
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Tried straight from the bottle and was closed. Decanted and opened up nicely over dinner of duck breast. Wonderful Larkmead - balanced fruit, depth, long finish, soft tannins. Drinking well now and will continue to age well
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I'm reminded why I joined the club (of course this was $70/bottle vs the current c-note) ... lush, luscious, senses-enveloping glass of wine. Paired perfectly with tenderloin and sauteed baby portabello mushrooms. Layers of red and black fruits, cherry/blueberry pie, just a hint of oak. If it were furniture it would be the comfiest leather barcalounger. Beautiful.
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Decanted 2 hours and re-bottled. Dark fruit and cigar box on the nose. Medium plus body with a smooth, elegant mouthfeel. Ripe dark fruit on the palate with notes of coffee, anise and dark chocolate. Long finish with manageable tannins. Excellent wine that is drinking well now but should evolve very nicely over the next 5 years or so.
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PnP in an emergency. Would have shown better with proper preparation. Still, a wonderful wine with multiple layers - dark berries, licorice, graphite, bit of chocolate. Still a baby and I should have allocated my bottles more carefully. I will hang on the remaining bottles for a few years to bring this to its proper conclusion. If scoring (potential) 94-96.
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Half bottle and 1 hour decant. Still very young and powerful. Lots of tannin which doesn't do much good right now. Liquorice and closed fruit (black berries and elder berries).
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This is the first '10 Larkmead Cab that I've opened from my allocation and I'm glad I waited. This could still use some cellar time, but it's drinking well right now. Popped and poured; aerated in the glass for 30 minutes.
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This was a stunning wine. Decanted for about 2.5 hours, and drank over the next 3. This got better and better while in the decanter/glass. No specifics as this was consumed last night and I did not take notes.
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Wow, great wine. Full Cab flavor array. Smoky, spicy, round tannin, very nicely balanced. Weston says it tastes like a high end Washington Cab, not Napa. I don't know, but it tastes really good. Glad we got two more bottles. Had with some roast beef (all day long in slow cooker), and it was perfect.
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Decanted for 2 hours and served with grilled NY strips. Dark blackish red color. Cassis, cocoa, charcoal, blackberry on nose. On palate, medium+ body, high acidity (great with steaks), with cassis, black cherry flavor profile. Very long finish and nice tannic structure. 92-93+ and should improve with time.
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Half bottle. Dark and powerful Cab. Still quite closed. Lots of concentrated. dark fruit. Black berries with chocolate, liquorice, peber. Some medicine cabinet. Strong tannin and long aftertaste. Really enjoyed the thick and fluid and looking forward to the fruit gets a bit sweeter.
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This was great on nights 1 and 2. All you want in a Napa cab, rich ripe, sweet fruit, and some perfumey/chocolatey notes that add some depth and complexity. Really hitting its stride, better each time I've tasted. Drinking extremely well right now.
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Drinking so well right now - at the entry of the window - polished tannin, great clarity, bright fruit and good length. I like 'em young, so I'm down with drinking my next bottle in 2 years.
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Not a lot his change with this wine since my last tasting it. I must say I do discern hints of something, trace elements in the background that have yet to manifest or show in this 2010 vintage. I suppose it needs more time? The 2012 is drinking beautifully NOW. If you have a choice between the two, go with the 2012, it is stunningly beautiful!
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Even after aerating into decanter, this was tight and really took time to open up. I got the classic pencil shavings I tend to get from Larkmead, with pretty cassis and perhaps a hint of florals. Nice oak treatment, nice dark fruit, big body and fairly high alcohol. Fruit was a bit more restrained than expected, in a good way.
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Currant and earthiness on the nose, currant and cherry on the palate. A bit muted the first night, opened up nicely the second - so give this a good decant.
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Enjoyed this one year ago and much nicer tonight. Opened for an hour. The spice that was too pronounced a year ago had begun to dissipate and synthesize with the wine. The mid-finish enjoys nice berry notes surrounded by richness. More time will make this an even better experience. The wine looks purple colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), gooseberry, clove, black pepper and sandalwood. It tastes like gooseberry, red currant and black currant (cassis). The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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nice cab. clearly has classic/ridiculed california fruit with raspberry liqueur, a hint of chocolate/coffee. however, this was nicely balanced by good acid and smooth tannins that kept the fruit in check and made the wine easy to drink. rich but avoided being cloying.
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Solid, oak and chocolate on the nose. Similar pattern on the palate - add vanilla, biting tannins after 1 hour but mellow after 2. I think the tannins mellow but the structure stays the same. Hmmm.....
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Deep dark color, bursting with fruit on the palate, smooth finish, a wonderful Cab and as my daughter says, Larkmead is just very good and very consistent.
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Bright red fruit, rich creamy black fruit, cassis, and spicey anise. Paired with bacon wrapped bacon and shirt rib at Fig Santa Monica. The most approachable 2010 Napa Cabernet so far.
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Wonderful nose of graphite and wet tobacco. Very young wine and took an hour of opening to see impact of flavors. Light on finish. A nice bottle of wine with tons of potential in 5 years.
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Lucky enough to be back in Napa and picked up 6 more bottles. They indicated there are very few left, and it was hinted that the 2011 may not quite stand up.
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Good-great fruit. long long finish. Dark fruit , minerality, medium-full body. Tannins very well integrated. explosive but not massively so. one wish would be some more heft at end, right before finish
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Excellent Cali Cab. Larkmead just makes an outstanding wine. A very rich and med-full bodied wine. It just got better after each glass. Good fruit and well structured.
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2 hour decant. Nose shows fresh dark berry, spices, mint, and a touch of oak. It's clearly young on the palate, but a deep core of pure fruit is there. The tannins are firm, but round, with enough acidity to keep it fresh. Oak shows, but doesn't distract, and the creamy finish lingers long. I'll wait another 2-3 years before I pop another, but I'd give this 92 on potential.
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A good wine that is a little too young right now. Nice fruit flavors, but it is drinking okay now. I opened a bottle and let it sit for about two hours, it was still pretty closed, but good not quite ready. This is a young wine. I will let the other bottles rest before for a while. 90+ points.
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Drank while in Napa at Bistro Jeanty with a one hour decant and it seemed to be approachable. Opened a bottle at home and decanted two hours, and it was still pretty closed, but was tasty. No detailed notes as this was consumed a few nights ago. Obciously, this is a young wine. I will wait a while before opening my other bottles.
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Consumed over two nights. The first night this was very disappointing - little fruit, little mouthfeel but otherwise OK. Second night this opened up very nicely - usual fruit and mothfeel. I suspect this is in a dumb phase. Either hold off opening, or give it a good long decant.
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Consistent with previous notes. Young in a sense because there is plenty of life ahead, and it will be a better wine. But none of the tight astringency you would associate with a youngster. I'm eating it up with a two hour decant. I'm going to try and hold the rest for awhile. 2010 proving solid- looking forward to the Firebelle and Salon.
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A bit too early - good fruit, nice bones but tannins are a bit rough and the all the components aren't well integrated yet. Score is for current state, which should improve with a couple of more years in the bottle.
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Excellent bouquet, aromas of cherry, red berry. Young but still very drinkable. 90 minute decant. Silky tannins , great flavors of cassis, red berry and stone. Great mouthfeel- really coats your mouth to provide a long finish with just the right amount of acidity. Great balance and complex components are layered perfect. No heat, even at this young stage, but a little astringent. I expect that will fade over time . Potential to be 95+ with patience.
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Opened it way too young, needed a lot of time in the Decanter, very tight in the opening but got better. Fruit forward, strong notes of Blueberry and Cream Cheese, high tannins, spicy. Full bodied, very bold.
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This is way too young to consume, though it shows signs of extreme density and rapidly evolving flavors with a few hour decant. I look forward to consuming the rest of the next 10-15 years.
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Still very young (of course). Had some great quality fruit, with notes of dark berries and mocha. Definitely some sophistication here, but even though it's quite drinkable now, this should continue to improve as the tannins soften and integrate. Love Larkmead, and this vintage is no exception, but I'll try to wait a bit longer on the next bottle. 91-92 now, should add a couple of points as it matures.
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Took to group dinner at Trattoria Roma. I knew it was early, but decided to try one of the four bottles I have. I had a glass of it, and it confirmed that it is way too early on this one. A good deal of oak on the palate that was blocking most of the dark fruits that I could tell were there. I would wait at least a year to pop it, if not a couple years. I'll check in again in 2-3 years. No rating on this one.
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Had to open one to make sure. You really don't have too with Larkmead. Excellent now but will hold rest of bottles. Very dark ruby color with a nose of black cherries and some spice. On the palate it is incredibly smooth for such a young wine. Very nice dark fruit but not overly fruity. A very nice finish. I will take this Cab over many which are more expensive.
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popped and poured. dark fruits, very smooth with soft tannins a consistent and balanced midpalate of cassis with a hint of vanilla, with nice acidity and a building finish. The 2010 is brinking surprisingly well now and much better earlier than any recent vintage.
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Pop/pour. Remarkably approachable. On the nose, dark red fruit, moderate vanilla/oak, and herbs in the background. On the palate, this crushes it for my palate. Smooth and rich, yet not overdone. Enough acidity and tannins to suggest a structure for mid-term aging, but the fruit carries the day. This will be better in 4-5 years, but I wanted to see if a reorder was warranted. I think the answer is "yes". This reminds me, from memory, of a younger version of the '04 Keenan Cab that I was very enamored with 2-3 years ago. Caveat on the score...this is exactly the flavor profile, weight, etc. that I'm looking for in a Napa Cab, so that bias may be reflected in the score, but I would rate this no lower than 92 points in any event. And I think there's a possibility that some of these, opened in a few years could receive an even higher score than I've given it tonight. Stunning effort.
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3/24/2024 - unc0rked Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted this in 2020 and the notes are very similar: Nice Napa cabernet with good structure and core dark fruit. Just a bit of heat on the slightly velvet finish that took about 2 points off. The tannins were shed and this wine seem to be drinking nicely. Still very youthful. A short decant but I do not think the heat goes away with a longer one.
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11/3/2023 - bobh22314 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Second bottle this week. The first left in the fridge with the top off for two days. The second pandp. The first lasted and improved. The second absolutely delicious. Pretty much the same notes as before. Still expecting this to grit the 20 year mark. Right now at its peak and no indication it is anywhere near going downhill
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10/18/2023 - prism wrote: 94 Points
Brought to a restaurant; decanted for 45 minutes. A lovely Cab from the Napa Valley floor, drinking very well.
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10/12/2023 - CWilliam wrote: 94 Points
PNP and paired with grilled NY strips. Black / red in the glass with a slight change from rim to center. On nose, cassis, blackberry, sweet cherry (only with lots of air), cinnamon, bell pepper and touch of dark chocolate.
Full body, medium+ acidity, medium tannins and very long finish. Still fruit primary (not as complex as nose) - blackberry, black cherry, black currants. Aging beautifully. 94+/-
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10/2/2023 - JuliannaDHS Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice with some complexity (and lots of ripe berry fruit). Mint/herbal notes, some earth but overall monolithic. More time?
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8/28/2023 - drrobvino wrote: 93 Points
2nd bottle of 4, I last had a bottle about 2 yrs ago.
Lovely, deep and inky, with an inviting nose of red and black fruits, hot tar, some cassis, espresso grounds, and mint.
On the palate, full bodied, with great presence on the palate, deep and dark fruit flavors alongside earthy elements and tar.
The acidity is very good for the fullness of this wine, keeping it fresh and delightful. A lovely Napa Cab, drink now through 2028 or so.
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5/15/2023 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
Bought at the vineyard in 2013 and have been looking forward to drinking...Caught it at a good time right now, though plenty of years ahead with this one. Overall solid Napa Cab with everything you'd hope for, deep rich fruit but balanced. 2010 might be one of my favorite Napa vintages. And I love this estate, though wasn't a fan of the people working at the vineyard/tasting, I remember them pushing me to buy wines. Would've bought a lot more if they weren't so pushy.
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2/26/2023 - CWilliam wrote: 94 Points
Black in the glass. On nose, cassis, blackberry, black cherry, plum and cedar. On palate, full body, elegant mouthfeel, medium acidity/ tannins and very long finish. Palate flavor profile of cassis, blackberry and menthol. Has aged beautifully. 94+/-
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12/16/2022 - bobh22314 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Barley a hint of orange at the rim. Needed an hour to really open up. Black fruits and minerals on the nose. Black fruits on the palate with more fruit showing than I rember from other tastings. Big full smooth with tannins mellowed. Given the development in the glass I think there are several more years left. Have had a number of older Larkmead which have all stood to the 20 year mark so expect the same hear. Best of the regular Larkmead bottlings.
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8/4/2022 - Roentgen Ray Likes this wine: 93 Points
Purchased from vineyard and cellared since release, cork in great condition.
Very funky with some horse manure, cranberry, and pomegranate.
It's completely different in the mouth, beautiful silky structure with juicy ripe blue fruit and soft acidity.
Finish goes on for 90 seconds.
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5/25/2022 - Darwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful nose of sweet dried dates and fig. The palate was full of black cherry and maybe blackberry! Finish was expressive with dark fruit and a hint of chocalote! A great steak wine!
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4/30/2022 - tann0008 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Leather and cinnamon on the nose. Cherry licorice and milk chocolate on the palate. Smooth cherry pie and espresso finish. Excellent drinking right now.
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3/28/2022 - bobh22314 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank without much thought which was a shame as this is very good My sense would be in its drinking window but barely Lots of life left.
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3/18/2022 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened but not decanted at a NYC Steakhouse with my wine group as part of a Napa Cabernet tasting. My 3rd favorite out of 4 cabs, but really just a hair behind the the first two wines. A medium+ bodied wine with a great nose and medium long finish. Personally, I have usually preferred Larkmead's regular cabs to their higher priced premium Cuvees. I placed it behind the 2012 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder because it was slightly less complex than the O'Sh.
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11/7/2021 - drrobvino wrote: 93 Points
1st of 4 bottles. Enjoyed 1/2 the bottle over 3 hours, will have the remainder tomorrow.
Deep and regal in tone and hue, quite open-knit on the nose, showing off road tar, cassis, fresh espresso grounds, and wet forest wood.
Black cherries and blackcurrant on the palate, with gorgeous interplay of earthiness and fruit. Perfect high-end Napa representation.
Some grit on the moderately well-rounded tannins, and nice levels of acidity to keep this reeled-in wine from being too jammy or overdone. Drink now through 2030+.
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7/9/2021 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
My second bottle of this vintage in just over a month. Really enjoyable, but this bottle took longer to open up than the one I had in June. I have 2 more left and I'll make sure to decant it next time. I had this at a NYC Steakhouse and the first half of the bottle was a pop 'n pour, while the 2nd half of the bottle sat untouched for 45 minutes. It started out with a searing tannic bite, but continually got better the entire night.
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7/3/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine: 95 Points
Haven't had this since visiting the winery some six years ago. What a treat. Clearly California Cabernet, but with the elegance of a Bordeaux. Wonderfully old-school Napa. Amazing bottle. Still great freshness and plenty of years left and likely room for even more improvement.
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6/2/2021 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped 'n poured at a NYC Steakhouse. This was drinking so well right now. The fruit and tannins are in great balance. Really much more enjoyable than the 2014 Caymus that we had alongside it. Hard to believe that WS (88 points) and WA (95+ by Antonio Galloni) could give such different scores. I think Larkmead's "entry" level Cab is always a hit, and I prefer it to their more expensive Cabs.
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5/23/2021 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark damson - no bricking. Big nose - plum, red currant and vanilla. Briarly, big mouth feel, highly integrated tannins, an acid hit, big fruit - more plum. Drinking well, I don't think its going to get any better.
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3/19/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
10/11/12 vertical blind tasting: ranking 10, 12, then 11. all wines in the low 90's.
10: best of bunch, nicely balanced milk chocolate mocha fruit, perfumey aromatics
11: outlier of the three, likely due to the rainy weather that vintage, fruit profile totally different and least appealing
12: #2 of 3, a bit more acid than the 10, and a touch less fruit.... maybe will benefit from additional cellaring.
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2/9/2021 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 94 Points
Best after 3 hour slow-ox with alcohol level diminishing. Medium body, pencil shavings, loamy forest floor, cocoa, black currant, brown baking spice, mint, leather.
Lush mouthfeel, with the fruit fully incorporated with the oak and earthy undertones. Fruit is just starting to slightly turn.
I've always felt that Larkmead CS gets overlooked and is no second fiddle to the new and flashy brands. I sense the older wine making traditions with every Larkmead CS.
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2/5/2021 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cedar and oak nose with spice, vanilla, and coconut. Layers of currant, plum, and red fruits with mint, wintergreen, black peppercorns, thyme, and cooca. Caressing finish with red currants, damp earth, cherry, roses, and super-elongated tannins forming a long and outstanding finale. 95 points.
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12/31/2020 - Tym4wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice floral aroma. Has some good grip and nice acidity. Blackberry, blueberry and cassis. Rounded and smooth. Medium+ finish. Very nice wine.
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12/29/2020 - Beezc wrote: 94 Points
Really enjoyed this. No reason not to pop the cork...in a good spot.
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11/24/2020 - hfindlay Likes this wine:
A big, chocolatey, toasty, California cab fruit bomb. Good structure but no hard edges. Gotta love it.
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10/28/2020 - Blackwa Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking perfectly now. Tannins have softened and there’s a perfect balance of oak.
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7/16/2020 - kosdogger Likes this wine: 94 Points
Only bottle sadly. At 10 years old it was in a really good spot. Great structure and balance to this wine. Not sure if I would say this wine has peaked, but I would not hesitate to open.
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6/4/2020 - unc0rked Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice Napa cabernet with good structure and core fruit. Just a bit of heat on the slightly velvet finish that took about 2 points off. The tannins were shed and this wine seem to be drinking nicely. It may improve over the next five years but I bet it is close to maximum enjoyment. Have 5 bottles left so going to drink another bottle a year from now.
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5/27/2020 - bobh22314 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still purple
With ruby at the edge. Lots of life left. Have been drinking this for three years and it gets better each time. Not the typical fruit bomb Napa cab. Interesting mineral flavors imerging with tannins mellowed. Long long finish
Have multiple cases left so am going to hide two deep in the cellar and bring them out in three or four years. The others will drink on special occasions
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2/13/2020 - ledocq Likes this wine:
This was one of the first wines I bought, and I hoped it would remain a favorite and not be a victim of my changing tastes. All is well. This is lovely juice, ready from the pnp, and a thrill to have with grass-fed meat. The shocker to me is that it's now $150 on the secondary market. Yay?
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2/5/2020 - Tartiflette wrote: 90 Points
1/2 bottle. Ready from the get go from this little size. Very fruity with Black Current dominating and well integrated with mellow tannins. Quite enjoyable still.
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1/19/2020 - sommwines wrote:
My reference point is the 2006. This bottle of 2010 was super-rich, far more extracted than what I am used to from this winery. Others liked it. I'd choose 2006 over this every time.
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12/29/2019 - Laguna Red Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine is drinking exceptionally well right now. Beautifully structured, the wine lingers in your mouth giving you a satisfying smile.
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12/25/2019 - dmwilsondvm Likes this wine: 97 Points
Really really impressive. Super rich, expressive, does not feel sleepy at all. But the tannin associated with young Larkmead Cabs of this era has completely fallen into line. Huge bouquet....lilac, sage, perfume. Dark blue, truffle, spice box, chocolate. Long, long finish of balanced blueberry. I know the 2010 Cabs from Larkmead were special (many feel the best Solari to date) and I get it. Really came together in this vintage. 8-10 years for Larkmead appears to be the sweet spot. Solari is the flagship, Olmo is the new love interest, Salon and Firebelle are the niche selections....but the NV Cabernet is always incredibly consistent, no bottle variation to date, and perhaps the most complex of the group. It usually has a splash of Franc, Merlot, or Verdot (or some combo) which I think why this tends to show so well over time. A lot of the top-tier non-estate winemakers love Larkmead sourced fruit for their blends (Realm, Rivers Marie, etc.) and it shows. Well done!
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11/30/2019 - dontime wrote:
Wonderful stuff. In a great place. 94-96.
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11/26/2019 - ldluttrell wrote:
Great tasting wine, holding up very well, wish I had bought more back then.
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9/28/2019 - austinwineguy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank like velvet
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7/17/2019 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a difference seven months and a three hour decant makes. This bottle was full of dark blackberry fruit and was highly structured. Secondary notes of cassis, dark chocolate and lavender create a nice complex finish. Really drank well tonight and highly recommend.
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5/8/2019 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
excellent showing, no decant. i still continue to love this wine.
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4/28/2019 - CWilliam wrote:
PNP - much better with 30 minutes+ of air. Great with a little air (didn't need a decant) and this is near or at peak but should stay there for years.
Dark black/red color. On nose, cassis, sweet tobacco, blackberry, black cherry. On palate, similar flavor profile with full body, medium+ tannins, medium acidity and long finish. Very nice bottle of wine. 93+
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4/6/2019 - BadOyster wrote: 91 Points
Time has not been kind to this bottling. The fresh fruits are a bit more muted, with a more aggressive showing of twiggy, green bell pepper flavors that dominate the finish. That super-pure note in the beginning that was so captivating has been masked. It’s not a bad wine by any stretch, but the most charming aspect (in my opinion) is missing. Drinks more like a usual $50-75 cali cab.
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4/2/2019 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 90 Points
Still not well integrated. Decanted but a lot of sticks. Wait 4+ years
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1/25/2019 - D3S Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great bottle of wine, decanted for 20-30 minutes, dark purple color, great nose, full bodied with blue and black fruit and secondary flavors with long finish. Drinking great right now with many years ahead of it.
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1/8/2019 - hfindlay Likes this wine:
Wow, y’all must have colder cellars than I, because I drank this right out of the bottle — I mean, I poured it into a glass without decanting— and it was fantastic. Round, full bodied, no hard edges, and a staggering core of creme de cassis that paired beautifully with leftover, rare ribeye. Loved it.
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12/31/2018 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 90 Points
This Cabernet, while very good, was not as expressive as I expected. Dark, blackberry fruit that did not really open up after an hour. Some secondary notes peaked out like cassis but generally closed throughout the night. Thought this 2010 did not need as much time but will decant for two hours next time.
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12/30/2018 - bobh22314 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Purple to the rim. Closed right now. Not the best I have tasted. Medium bodied with significant tannins. Medium to long finish. Have given this a better score in the past year. Will try again in another six months
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12/13/2018 - Tartiflette Likes this wine: 91 Points
1/2 bottle. It needed some air to get into its drinking window. Still somewhat hard on the tannins but plenty of fruit to balance it. Very enjoyable.
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10/19/2018 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not as good as the 2012 Larkmead but still pretty darn good. For me, the best part of this wine was the long finish.
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9/16/2018 - bonedoc wrote:
2010 kobalt: more fruity, and a touch grapey, w less structure. 92
2010 larkmead: better balance w welcome tannins and a more complex finish. 93
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7/5/2018 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This medium-bodied and well-aged Cabernet is drinking well right now, with a beautiful combination of ripe and earthy tastes. Garnet in color, medium in body, nose of plum, graphite, and herbs, with hints of flowers and burnt toast. Tastes of blueberry, boysenberry, and pencil lead, with a sweet finish that carries well-integrated, almost dusty tannins. 14.7% alcohol.
This isn't a blockbuster, but it is awfully good - an integrated and sophisticated package. I would have thought this was a few years younger - i.e., it drinks with energy and sophistication. Blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec. 93-94. Drink now.
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7/5/2018 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gave this a 3 hour decant before dinner. Continued to open up over dinner. Enjoyed this at an off-line with Rockincabs and family
Enjoyed with some nice beef filets - pairing worked well.
Smooth Flavors of blackberry, dark cherry and some spice. Smooth flavors that have started to integrate, with some moderate tannins. Good now - likely the early end of the drinking range - still has some more years to mature in the cellar if needed.
This is a Bordeaux style blend with: 76% cab sauvignon, 7% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 7% cab franc, and 3% Malbec.
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6/25/2018 - JHalvorson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Definitely needs a couple hours in a decanter to show well.
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1/21/2018 - plechazunga wrote:
As background, we've struggled with this cab over the past five years. 2010 was a rough vintage, and this wine reflects it. While at a well integrated point, it still has an apple like acidity and a mouth puckery tanin with a rough-ish red fruit forward taste. While better than your standard variety restaurant wine list offerings, this wine still lacks complexity eight years in. Drink up now, or wait and see if it happens to develop better notes comes once the more earthy notes come in.
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1/16/2018 - jeagle wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours then consumed over two nights. This wine is certainly taking the slow road to maturity, but I do like its direction. The structure is finally resolving. There is a softness to the wine, cottony. but it also suggests a sense of power. Beautiful fruit brushed with cedar, it does need to add some weight and complexity. Still too young but a joy to drink now anyway. Night two was a bit more forceful.
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1/1/2018 - Badmonkey wrote: 91 Points
Decided to finally revisit - it's been a couple years since the last bottle. Dark red and black fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth and nice flavors of dark berries plus a little spice. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Improved with time. A nice wine but I guess I expected more in light of Galloni's rating of 95+. According to his review for WA, anticipated maturity 2020 to 2030 so maybe this vintage just needs more time for the fruit to fill-out some more. An interesting blend for this vintage: 76% cab sauvignon, 7% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 7% cab franc, and 3% Malbec.
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12/15/2017 - nicole_valencic@yahoo.com wrote:
Drinking wonderful.
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12/10/2017 - fclarity wrote: 90 Points
Obviously, this wine was young and dark looking. It had a classic young cab nose the benefited several hours of air.
This wine was a bit young, raw, and hard to gauge. However, the winemaking seemed solid and it should improve with time.
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11/6/2017 - Huber9261 Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Sour - was really unpleseant
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7/22/2017 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very enjoyable, fruit driven wine. As the fruit and vanilla was still right up front, I think it has a few more years ahead of it.
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6/17/2017 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good dark fruit with some earthiness and a nice acidity. Tannins well integrated. Getting towards the end of its life.
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4/17/2017 - jeagle wrote:
Decanted 2 hours before consumption. Juicy fruit, noticeable tannin, limited finish, all earmarks of adolescence. If you have only a few bottles, wait a couple of more years as it would be wasteful to open this wine now. Sure it is drinkable, but it will offer much more with patience.
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4/16/2017 - ledocq Likes this wine: 93 Points
Developing nicely. Still tannic. Now that I've tasted a lot more Cal cabs, I'm starting to see how Larkmead fits in.
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3/2/2017 - TessaJC Likes this wine:
Much better compared to when drank 3 yrs ago. Decanted all day in anticipation of a big steak dinner. Started a tad hot even after all the decant time. Surprisingly finished as soft tannins and fruit as another noted. On medium body side. Not bombastic at all definitely a more elegant style.
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2/20/2017 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
Still fairly tight, starting with monotone black fruit. After a couple hours, undertones of graphite along with red and blue fruit begin to emerge. Zero tertiary development from my sense. Unfortunately for us, it was done before it started firing on all cylinders. Recommend a 2 hour decant or waiting 2-5 more years.
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2/19/2017 - Weiner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great bottle, soft tannins, fruit flavor, not to young not to mature, drink now.
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6/18/2016 - R&R Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better now than when I first had this 2 years ago. The palate and nose are more integrated with less edgyness.
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4/2/2016 - Jerry 3 Likes this wine:
great wine
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2/17/2016 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 92 Points
Vintage Comparison 2011 vs. 2010 Napa Cabernet Sauvignons (83 1/2 Restaurant, 345 E. 83rd Street, NY, NY 10028): Had this at a 2011 vs. 2010 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon tasting dinner. This wine was so much better than its 2011 counterpart that its almost hard to know where to start. I can say this, from the moment this hit my glass, it was obvious that this was a much better wine. The nose was complex and compelling.
Its drinking well now, but will probably continue to improve in the bottle over the next few years. Out of the six wines we had, this was tied for my second favorite.
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2/14/2016 - Ben&Sarah Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tried straight from the bottle and was closed. Decanted and opened up nicely over dinner of duck breast. Wonderful Larkmead - balanced fruit, depth, long finish, soft tannins. Drinking well now and will continue to age well
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2/13/2016 - Chip Merlot Likes this wine: 95 Points
I'm reminded why I joined the club (of course this was $70/bottle vs the current c-note) ... lush, luscious, senses-enveloping glass of wine. Paired perfectly with tenderloin and sauteed baby portabello mushrooms. Layers of red and black fruits, cherry/blueberry pie, just a hint of oak. If it were furniture it would be the comfiest leather barcalounger. Beautiful.
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2/12/2016 - Yamadori Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours and re-bottled. Dark fruit and cigar box on the nose. Medium plus body with a smooth, elegant mouthfeel. Ripe dark fruit on the palate with notes of coffee, anise and dark chocolate. Long finish with manageable tannins. Excellent wine that is drinking well now but should evolve very nicely over the next 5 years or so.
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12/29/2015 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is just singing right now. Great fruit, great complexity, long finish. Maybe my WOTY.
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12/22/2015 - dontime wrote:
PnP in an emergency. Would have shown better with proper preparation. Still, a wonderful wine with multiple layers - dark berries, licorice, graphite, bit of chocolate. Still a baby and I should have allocated my bottles more carefully. I will hang on the remaining bottles for a few years to bring this to its proper conclusion. If scoring (potential) 94-96.
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12/13/2015 - Tartiflette wrote: 91 Points
Half bottle and 1 hour decant. Still very young and powerful. Lots of tannin which doesn't do much good right now. Liquorice and closed fruit (black berries and elder berries).
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12/13/2015 - Dasher wrote: 95 Points
great drinking wine
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11/29/2015 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is the first '10 Larkmead Cab that I've opened from my allocation and I'm glad I waited. This could still use some cellar time, but it's drinking well right now. Popped and poured; aerated in the glass for 30 minutes.
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11/29/2015 - flwinos wrote: 94 Points
This was a stunning wine. Decanted for about 2.5 hours, and drank over the next 3. This got better and better while in the decanter/glass. No specifics as this was consumed last night and I did not take notes.
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11/27/2015 - Yale79 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Extraordinary. Smooth finish. Well behaved tannins.
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11/22/2015 - AAJR Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp'd & served with skirt steak. A big & powerful Cabernet. Dark in color with dark fruit & dark chocolate flavors. Great wine.......
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11/7/2015 - Chuck C Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, great wine. Full Cab flavor array. Smoky, spicy, round tannin, very nicely balanced. Weston says it tastes like a high end Washington Cab, not Napa. I don't know, but it tastes really good. Glad we got two more bottles. Had with some roast beef (all day long in slow cooker), and it was perfect.
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9/20/2015 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and served with grilled NY strips. Dark blackish red color. Cassis, cocoa, charcoal, blackberry on nose. On palate, medium+ body, high acidity (great with steaks), with cassis, black cherry flavor profile. Very long finish and nice tannic structure. 92-93+ and should improve with time.
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9/13/2015 - Tartiflette wrote: 91 Points
Half bottle. Dark and powerful Cab. Still quite closed. Lots of concentrated. dark fruit. Black berries with chocolate, liquorice, peber. Some medicine cabinet. Strong tannin and long aftertaste. Really enjoyed the thick and fluid and looking forward to the fruit gets a bit sweeter.
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8/7/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 95 Points
This was great on nights 1 and 2. All you want in a Napa cab, rich ripe, sweet fruit, and some perfumey/chocolatey notes that add some depth and complexity. Really hitting its stride, better each time I've tasted. Drinking extremely well right now.
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7/23/2015 - BadOyster wrote: 94 Points
Drinking so well right now - at the entry of the window - polished tannin, great clarity, bright fruit and good length. I like 'em young, so I'm down with drinking my next bottle in 2 years.
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7/11/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Same as last bottle, a little more acid and this would be lights out.
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7/10/2015 - bonedoc wrote:
Same as last note
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6/27/2015 - domestic_primate Likes this wine: 94 Points
I think this is really starting to hit its stride, has softened up a bit over the last year.
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4/17/2015 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not a lot his change with this wine since my last tasting it. I must say I do discern hints of something, trace elements in the background that have yet to manifest or show in this 2010 vintage. I suppose it needs more time? The 2012 is drinking beautifully NOW. If you have a choice between the two, go with the 2012, it is stunningly beautiful!
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2/13/2015 - wirelesswine wrote: 92 Points
Even after aerating into decanter, this was tight and really took time to open up. I got the classic pencil shavings I tend to get from Larkmead, with pretty cassis and perhaps a hint of florals. Nice oak treatment, nice dark fruit, big body and fairly high alcohol. Fruit was a bit more restrained than expected, in a good way.
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1/17/2015 - emf Likes this wine:
Drank at Gia's. Larkmead is always a beautiful wine drinking experience. Integrated tannins , good balance and great mouth feel.
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12/23/2014 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Silky smooth
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12/6/2014 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Currant and earthiness on the nose, currant and cherry on the palate. A bit muted the first night, opened up nicely the second - so give this a good decant.
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11/22/2014 - Pitch_n Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyed this one year ago and much nicer tonight. Opened for an hour. The spice that was too pronounced a year ago had begun to dissipate and synthesize with the wine. The mid-finish enjoys nice berry notes surrounded by richness. More time will make this an even better experience.
The wine looks purple colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), gooseberry, clove, black pepper and sandalwood. It tastes like gooseberry, red currant and black currant (cassis). The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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9/20/2014 - Cullens wrote: 92 Points
Had with good friends on my B-day. Did not take notes, but recall the long finish
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9/20/2014 - Jbird73 Likes this wine: 90 Points
pretty good stuff here but for this price I know I could do better (Myriad, R-M, etc...)
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9/15/2014 - domco wrote:
Consistently delicious.
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9/14/2014 - jgkost wrote: 91 Points
Interesting, measurably better than last couple...
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8/11/2014 - madalyn Likes this wine: 90 Points
I think it needs more time
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7/20/2014 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a classic wine. This is very drinkable now, or its a lay down. Great characteristics. Would buy more of this :)
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7/12/2014 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic cab drinking great already but should get better over the next few years.
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5/23/2014 - dontime wrote:
Improving. 92-94.
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4/27/2014 - kthornton78 wrote:
nice cab. clearly has classic/ridiculed california fruit with raspberry liqueur, a hint of chocolate/coffee. however, this was nicely balanced by good acid and smooth tannins that kept the fruit in check and made the wine easy to drink. rich but avoided being cloying.
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3/29/2014 - kmatt60 wrote: 94 Points
This is a really well rounded bottle of wine.
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3/17/2014 - mye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love Larkmead.. Love the wine.
Dark purple, gorgeous black fruit, dark chocolate.
Still a baby but really enjoyed this.
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3/12/2014 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Delicious, ripe, opulent napa cab style w a little heat, but not terribly structured. Drinkable now or over 10 yrs.
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3/10/2014 - absolutvodka wrote: 94 Points
This wine is excellent.
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3/2/2014 - Frank_A_M wrote: 93 Points
Clear purple color, fantastic balance, hint of chocolate, great finish.
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2/14/2014 - Cullens wrote: 93 Points
Solid, oak and chocolate on the nose. Similar pattern on the palate - add vanilla, biting tannins after 1 hour but mellow after 2. I think the tannins mellow but the structure stays the same. Hmmm.....
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1/19/2014 - Frank_A_M wrote: 92 Points
Deep dark color, bursting with fruit on the palate, smooth finish, a wonderful Cab and as my daughter says, Larkmead is just very good and very consistent.
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12/17/2013 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 92 Points
This Cab. has a great future ahead of it. Still to young, with tannins upfront and griping. Give this full bodied beast 3 more years then enjoy.
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11/28/2013 - dontime wrote:
Thick, rich and satisfying. Heavy on the fruit and oak. Needs time to fully develop. If scoring 91-93.
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11/16/2013 - Hubertcruz wrote: 90 Points
Awesome
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11/3/2013 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Bright red fruit, rich creamy black fruit, cassis, and spicey anise. Paired with bacon wrapped bacon and shirt rib at Fig Santa Monica. The most approachable 2010 Napa Cabernet so far.
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9/18/2013 - napasoutherner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful nose of graphite and wet tobacco. Very young wine and took an hour of opening to see impact of flavors. Light on finish. A nice bottle of wine with tons of potential in 5 years.
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9/16/2013 - domestic_primate Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lucky enough to be back in Napa and picked up 6 more bottles. They indicated there are very few left, and it was hinted that the 2011 may not quite stand up.
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9/14/2013 - ajfret01 Likes this wine:
Great wine to finish the night.
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9/13/2013 - redrules Likes this wine: 95 Points
Good-great fruit. long long finish. Dark fruit , minerality, medium-full body. Tannins very well integrated. explosive but not massively so. one wish would be some more heft at end, right before finish
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8/26/2013 - uncle al Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Cali Cab. Larkmead just makes an outstanding wine. A very rich and med-full bodied wine. It just got better after each glass. Good fruit and well structured.
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6/13/2013 - jdabrowski1027 wrote:
2 hour decant. Nose shows fresh dark berry, spices, mint, and a touch of oak. It's clearly young on the palate, but a deep core of pure fruit is there. The tannins are firm, but round, with enough acidity to keep it fresh. Oak shows, but doesn't distract, and the creamy finish lingers long. I'll wait another 2-3 years before I pop another, but I'd give this 92 on potential.
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4/30/2013 - Yack Man wrote: 90 Points
A good wine that is a little too young right now. Nice fruit flavors, but it is drinking okay now. I opened a bottle and let it sit for about two hours, it was still pretty closed, but good not quite ready. This is a young wine. I will let the other bottles rest before for a while. 90+ points.
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4/28/2013 - Cellar Baron wrote: 90 Points
Young.
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4/19/2013 - K28226 wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with previous notes
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3/4/2013 - wcchang wrote: 92 Points
A good wine. Young, fruity flavors. Could use a bit more complexity, but it is drinking well now.
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2/25/2013 - flwinos Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank while in Napa at Bistro Jeanty with a one hour decant and it seemed to be approachable. Opened a bottle at home and decanted two hours, and it was still pretty closed, but was tasty. No detailed notes as this was consumed a few nights ago. Obciously, this is a young wine. I will wait a while before opening my other bottles.
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2/20/2013 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consumed over two nights. The first night this was very disappointing - little fruit, little mouthfeel but otherwise OK. Second night this opened up very nicely - usual fruit and mothfeel. I suspect this is in a dumb phase. Either hold off opening, or give it a good long decant.
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2/14/2013 - ajfret01 wrote: flawed
Corked :-(
Such a disapoinment.
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2/8/2013 - K28226 wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Young in a sense because there is plenty of life ahead, and it will be a better wine. But none of the tight astringency you would associate with a youngster. I'm eating it up with a two hour decant. I'm going to try and hold the rest for awhile. 2010 proving solid- looking forward to the Firebelle and Salon.
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1/29/2013 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit too early - good fruit, nice bones but tannins are a bit rough and the all the components aren't well integrated yet. Score is for current state, which should improve with a couple of more years in the bottle.
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1/27/2013 - absolutvodka wrote: 92 Points
Very young but this is a great wine.
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1/22/2013 - K28226 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent bouquet, aromas of cherry, red berry. Young but still very drinkable. 90 minute decant. Silky tannins , great flavors of cassis, red berry and stone. Great mouthfeel- really coats your mouth to provide a long finish with just the right amount of acidity. Great balance and complex components are layered perfect. No heat, even at this young stage, but a little astringent. I expect that will fade over time . Potential to be 95+ with patience.
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1/21/2013 - Win-E Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened it way too young, needed a lot of time in the Decanter, very tight in the opening but got better. Fruit forward, strong notes of Blueberry and Cream Cheese, high tannins, spicy. Full bodied, very bold.
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1/15/2013 - RMundell Likes this wine: 95 Points
First time having this. Decanted for two hours. Really amazing wine.
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1/13/2013 - DCSteve wrote: 94 Points
Should have bought more. 'Nuff said.
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1/4/2013 - ajfret01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank from 375. Nice and smooth and what you would expect from Larkmead.
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12/31/2012 - ajfret01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
No formal notes. New Years eve...
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12/12/2012 - jrkennedy37 wrote: 94 Points
This is way too young to consume, though it shows signs of extreme density and rapidly evolving flavors with a few hour decant. I look forward to consuming the rest of the next 10-15 years.
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11/11/2012 - morellyn wrote: 92 Points
Still very young (of course). Had some great quality fruit, with notes of dark berries and mocha. Definitely some sophistication here, but even though it's quite drinkable now, this should continue to improve as the tannins soften and integrate. Love Larkmead, and this vintage is no exception, but I'll try to wait a bit longer on the next bottle. 91-92 now, should add a couple of points as it matures.
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11/9/2012 - Wine Sparty wrote:
Took to group dinner at Trattoria Roma. I knew it was early, but decided to try one of the four bottles I have. I had a glass of it, and it confirmed that it is way too early on this one. A good deal of oak on the palate that was blocking most of the dark fruits that I could tell were there. I would wait at least a year to pop it, if not a couple years. I'll check in again in 2-3 years. No rating on this one.
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11/8/2012 - uncle al wrote: 93 Points
Had to open one to make sure. You really don't have too with Larkmead. Excellent now but will hold rest of bottles. Very dark ruby color with a nose of black cherries and some spice. On the palate it is incredibly smooth for such a young wine. Very nice dark fruit but not overly fruity. A very nice finish. I will take this Cab over many which are more expensive.
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11/5/2012 - beau11 wrote: 94 Points
popped and poured. dark fruits, very smooth with soft tannins a consistent and balanced midpalate of cassis with a hint of vanilla, with nice acidity and a building finish. The 2010 is brinking surprisingly well now and much better earlier than any recent vintage.
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11/1/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 94 Points
Pop/pour. Remarkably approachable. On the nose, dark red fruit, moderate vanilla/oak, and herbs in the background. On the palate, this crushes it for my palate. Smooth and rich, yet not overdone. Enough acidity and tannins to suggest a structure for mid-term aging, but the fruit carries the day. This will be better in 4-5 years, but I wanted to see if a reorder was warranted. I think the answer is "yes". This reminds me, from memory, of a younger version of the '04 Keenan Cab that I was very enamored with 2-3 years ago. Caveat on the score...this is exactly the flavor profile, weight, etc. that I'm looking for in a Napa Cab, so that bias may be reflected in the score, but I would rate this no lower than 92 points in any event. And I think there's a possibility that some of these, opened in a few years could receive an even higher score than I've given it tonight. Stunning effort.
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