This is almost certainly at or just past peak, and it’s in a very nice place, rich in texture with bright honeydew and gooseberry fruit softened by age, enough acidity to be lively, and the light oak treatment (15% new for 8 months) now almost imperceptible. For something that, if I were generalizing, I’d say wasn’t my style, I like this a lot, which is why I guess I shouldn’t generalize.
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This wine is remarkably lively and layered for the five-year mark, replacing the freshness it had two and a half years ago (10/17 - 94 points) with a more nuanced experience. I enjoyed this as much as I did a few years ago, albeit this time for different reasons (read: now for it's balance and complexity, as opposed to before for its freshness and exuberance).
Light yellow in color; medium in body; nose of Meyer lemon, quince, and ocean air. Tastes of gooseberry, poached pear, lemon custard, and crushed rock, with a bright and layered finish - at times sour, at times dry, just lovely in the mouth. 14.1% alcohol. I'd personally lean towards drinking now, as the fruit still has a punch and freshness it may lose in the next year or two. At the moment, though, it has remarkable texture and tension.
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A pure and lively Sauvignon Blanc that delivers complexity and energy at an early age. Although you will be rewarded if you wait a year, the exuberance of this wine right now is hard to beat.
Light yellow in color, medium in body, nose of pear, gooseberry, and freshly cut grass. Tastes of lemon, key lime pie, grapefruit, and almond, with a crisp yet layered finish. 14.1% alcohol. I've been enjoying these wines for several years now, but the 2015 has a slight edge over the 2014, if only for its freshness - just lovely.
I tasted this next to a 2015 Sauvignon Blanc from Petroski's personal label, Massican. The wines are plainly different: the Massican is far more lean and acidic, with more lemon and less almond. I think the Massican is lovely (91 points), but the Larkmead seems more ready and more complex (as I would hope it would be, at twice the price!).
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Wow. Great energy and extremely lively. Has a more forward fruit character for this estate wine. Warmer dryer year gave abundant fruit but did not exact any negative reduction of the smooth silky minerality. Fantastic
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5/16/2024 - ppmm wrote:
This is almost certainly at or just past peak, and it’s in a very nice place, rich in texture with bright honeydew and gooseberry fruit softened by age, enough acidity to be lively, and the light oak treatment (15% new for 8 months) now almost imperceptible. For something that, if I were generalizing, I’d say wasn’t my style, I like this a lot, which is why I guess I shouldn’t generalize.
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4/16/2020 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This wine is remarkably lively and layered for the five-year mark, replacing the freshness it had two and a half years ago (10/17 - 94 points) with a more nuanced experience. I enjoyed this as much as I did a few years ago, albeit this time for different reasons (read: now for it's balance and complexity, as opposed to before for its freshness and exuberance).
Light yellow in color; medium in body; nose of Meyer lemon, quince, and ocean air. Tastes of gooseberry, poached pear, lemon custard, and crushed rock, with a bright and layered finish - at times sour, at times dry, just lovely in the mouth. 14.1% alcohol. I'd personally lean towards drinking now, as the fruit still has a punch and freshness it may lose in the next year or two. At the moment, though, it has remarkable texture and tension.
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4/11/2020 - dlcass Likes this wine: 92 Points
Score limited by the varietal. Bright nose of pineapple and almond paste pastry. Nice mouthfeel, finish and balance. Very enjoyable.
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3/30/2018 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 92 Points
Acidity, lemon, tropical fruit, mango A-
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3/10/2018 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tropical fruit, lemon Acidity, herbal notes. A-
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10/3/2017 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
A pure and lively Sauvignon Blanc that delivers complexity and energy at an early age. Although you will be rewarded if you wait a year, the exuberance of this wine right now is hard to beat.
Light yellow in color, medium in body, nose of pear, gooseberry, and freshly cut grass. Tastes of lemon, key lime pie, grapefruit, and almond, with a crisp yet layered finish. 14.1% alcohol. I've been enjoying these wines for several years now, but the 2015 has a slight edge over the 2014, if only for its freshness - just lovely.
I tasted this next to a 2015 Sauvignon Blanc from Petroski's personal label, Massican. The wines are plainly different: the Massican is far more lean and acidic, with more lemon and less almond. I think the Massican is lovely (91 points), but the Larkmead seems more ready and more complex (as I would hope it would be, at twice the price!).
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7/15/2017 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tropical fruit, melon, acidity, citrus, Lemon and lime. Acidity a little strong. A-
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8/20/2016 - camben Likes this wine:
Wow. Great energy and extremely lively. Has a more forward fruit character for this estate wine. Warmer dryer year gave abundant fruit but did not exact any negative reduction of the smooth silky minerality.
Fantastic
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