From a magnum. Dark, savory, a glycerined texture but no heat. Brambly red and black fruit underpinned by a spice backbone. Some pepper, graphite and herbs. Many, many years ahead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Xmas day with 1 hour decant. Clear, deep deep ruby, with minimal meniscus and high viscosity. N of cherry, blueberry, blackberry mint, vanilla and cocoa. Palate matches the nose. Begins with fruit, oak flavors mix in, and then back to the fruit for the long finish. Tannins rise in the middle as well. Full bodied, med+ acidity. This will definitely last much longer - drinks well but should continue to improve.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A real stunner. Killed on so many levels - savory, structured and completely alive. The fruit was vibrant and brooding all at once. Larkmead is the most underrated winery in Napa IMHO.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still holding strong. Put this one in the middle of my other 2. Not hitting the highs of the first one but still a very good bottle of wine. No detailed notes so scored more on impression. Fruit still holding well, a bit of the usual Larkmead earthiness.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork was pristine, looked new. Decanted an hour and consumed over the next three. While it was certainly better with air, it never quite became what I thought it would. It hit the notes, had nice lift and the alcohol was unnoticeable but it was very primary, thin and had way more of a green streak than I would have expected. Finish was tart and short.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, blackberry fruit, layered and concentrated…cannot believe this is 11 years old. After an hour decant, drinks fresh, like a three year old cab blend. Terrific complexity with notes of lavender, baking spice, mocha and a hint of charcoal on the finish. Excellent and drinking perfectly right now.
Give this time to open. A deep garnet color, clear. There remains a lot of dark fruit flavor and high, fine tannins. This wine has several years left on it. Drinking well with even a bit more potential
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Been a while since I last had one of these and this seemed worse for wear. No where near the 95 from last time. Part of this issue though was during dinner I had a slightly spicy creole type shrimp dish and I got this weird interplay with the wine. So saved for after dinner and it was much better but still didn't bring it. Savory olive thing on the nose was interesting. Taste was currant and some dark cherry, slightly bitter finish. Still seemed like it can go for a while but not sure it will get better in the way I prefer. Make sure to decant through filter as this threw a lot of sediment. Hoping last bottle gets closer to first.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for one hour but it needed two hours. A lushly textured offering of cocoa and blue fruit is consistent all across the palate. A year or two ago this bottle seemed to have a bit more verve. Cannot say I was disappointed, just not as excited.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first LMV Salon and it didn't disappoint. I think it still drinks a bit young. Became very smooth with dark fruit but not a ton of complexity early on. Got a bit edgy at the 3 hour mark. Not quite as "all together" as the 2007 Kind we drank alongside.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This Cabernet-based blend has lost some of its push in the two years since I tasted it last (6/17 - 96 points), but it's still fantastic and nuanced wine. This has lasted longer than I thought it would back in 2017, but I'd err on the side of drinking in the next year or two.
Dark red in color and fuller in body, the wine offers a more floral and earthy nose, with notes of blueberry, charcoal, lavender, and herbs. Tastes of blackberry, graphite, crushed rock, and baking spices, with a viscous and lingering finish. Blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot. 14.6% alcohol. This needs a good hour or two of air, since it starts a bit one dimensional. The LMV doesn't usually approach the Solari for me but, in this vintage, it's right there with the flagship.
Drinking really well right now. Rich and full bodied, with the tannins well integrated. Fruit is somewhat muted, but rich dark fruit flavors. No jamminess at all. My last bottle of Larkmead - too bad the price has gotten out of my comfort zone.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow. Just wow. Haven't had this wine in about 4 years and while it showed promise then, it is full on glorious now. Powerful, deep fruit, superb balance and structure. This wine has a lot of room to grow, but after an hour decant, it was just wonderful now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I am kicking myself for not decanting this LMV and allowing it to breathe for an hour or two before diving in, because the last glass of this bottle was so good and so much different than the first glass. The descriptive word for this blend for me was 'elegant'. All the parts have come together and as I finished my last glass I reflected that the whole experience demonstrated why LMV is my favorite Larkmead wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and drank over 2 hours. At first tannins were a little tight, but then the wine opened beautifully to reveal cassis, blueberry, silky mouthfeel and nice integration of oak. Well done, will go another 5-10. One of the better wines I’ve tasted of many from larkmead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
So much better than the last bottle. Dark color, heavy mouthfeel with lots of layering of flavors and great extraction. The green taste is gone and the Cab Franc wonderfully integrated. The Cab Sauvignon is just yummy with wonderful fruit, chocolate and spice. Just as great as the Larkmead Cab but theCab Franc gives it more interest and complexity. I thought that I just liked the Larkmead Cab betterbut now I don’t know. I need to buy more of the LMV Salon just to be sure. ��
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
We had this wine opened at Zelo on Nicollet Mall. They kindly decanted it for us and we waited 30 minutes before drinking but that was not really long enough. As more time passed this beautiful wine continued to show. In hindsight we should have had this wine athomewhere it could stand open for a longer period of time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Extremely concentrated and tight still! Even after 3 hours in a decanter, it was just beginning to hint at the possibilities! Black currant, violets, graphite, road tar, and sweet blackberries are swirling together, but there is more there, just shrouded at the moment.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well, I suppose I'm in the minority here. This was an ok wine at best for me. Pedestrian and fairly predictable flavors of black and red currant, earth, and some spice. A little leather and dark soil on the back end, coupled with a faint herbal tinge that clipped the finish considerably. Predominantly dark/black in profile, with some earthy minerality that should've added interest, but really just added to a distraction away from any depth to the core fruit. Again, this was ok and not a total disaster by any means, but pretty humdrum and a basic snoozer of a wine overall.
88-90 points tops for me. I don't think time will necessarily help this wine. It was decanted for over three hours, with little change in delivery over that time period.
Opened bottle for 90 minutes, then did a blind comparison between a glass from the bottle and one decanted. Both my wife and I liked the one from the bottle that had been opened: more aromatic, more depth of flavor. This is drinking well now, and may continue to improve for a couple more years. Loved it
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow. This wine really stood out in a field of over two dozen at a wine dinner. I got the pencil shavings on the nose which I often expect from Larkmead; but the melange of fruits and the acidity was just begging for another sip, again and again. High viscosity, and a big wine for sure, yet all factors in balance. I'm sure this wine will age for some time, but it's showing quite well now also. Tasted alongside an '11 Schrader RBS To Kalon and they were both stunning and quite similar, but the Larkmead shone just a tad more. Very glad I have one more in the cellar.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This stunning Cabernet-based blend is drinking beautifully right now. Dark garnet in color, medium in body, almost floral nose of fresh blueberry, rosemary, and pencil shavings. Tastes of black cherry, plum, gravel, and cedar, with a lingering finish that combines dirt and sugar in a way that is downright haunting. 14.6% alcohol. Has a year or two left at peak, but drink now. I love the LMV - rich, nuanced, balanced - and this is one of the best examples I have ever tried. (For the record, I scored it as highly as the 2004 and 2005, and slightly above the 2008, 2009, and 2012.) Blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot.
Very well made wine, no doubt, but still green and tightly wound. Needs more time. I'm still enjoying it right now with an hour in the decanter, but it feels like a waste to drink it right now unless you give it several hours to open up.
For some reason when Cab Franc isn't well aged it has a green & bitter taste to me. The Cab Sauvignon is just perfectly balanced & harmonious and the Cab Franc just seemed younger & detracted from the blend.
I wanted to try this wine because of the high scores and I'm glad I tried it but honestly I just prefer the Larmead Cab much better. Maybe if I give the wine another year or two the Cab Franc will mellow out some. Still a great wine no doubt.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big round soft red fruit with emphasis on integration. Really an outstanding wine drinking well now. May mellow a bit with another year or two but really think it is ready now.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Give this 60 minutes and bam it comes alive. This is all about the mouthfeel as it coats your mouth with fresh currant. Just the right balance between sweetness and acidity and oak intrusion is very mininal. Only slight critique is nose while nice is still a bit closed. Suspect that will come with a bit more time. Glad I have 2 more of these to see the progression. If opening now just decant.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Waited two years after opening the first of this vintage and it was worth the wait. Galloni rated 97+ and he is spot on. Brought this out for our 25th Anniversary dinner and it did not disappoint. The nose is just wonderful. A little tight right out of the bottle (didn't get a chance to decant), but not overly so and this baby really opened up over a 90 minute drink. Would recommend a two hour decant if you have the time.
Smooth does not begin to describe the wine. Cab Sav with just the right amount of Franc and Verdot make for a great big cali wine that paired well with a big, juicy ribeye.
Drink up or hold - or do both! This wine will not disappoint.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful wine; Quite young still; didn't quite match the 07 Chappellet Pritchard Hill. Seemed to improve with time after couple of hours. Still a young wine; likely best to wait several more years to try again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Incredible. Not ready though. Dense dark fruit full bodied. Boysenberry without its tartness. Layers are somewhat hidden. They could be there in 1 to 2 years I think. Perfect Larkmead character is showing. Very dry, even for Larkmead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened Friday, re-corked; decanted 1 hr and served blind on Saturday. Definitely not a PnP wine, and in fact, it was 1 hr in the glass before it even began to show (a little of) what it had to offer. Gilded palate, seamless and elegant, but fairly linear, too. Continues to add weight and flavors, but ultimately this is just too young to get beyond cherry and vanilla. I'd recommend 3-6 years in the cellar if you're looking for a more comprehensive experience; 10-12 years would prolly be optimal. 14,7% abv, thru 2033. Hard to recommend now (and at $100), but if you've got the time and the bank, you'll want to pick some up. A true beauty in the making.
Very young, but still enjoyable. Tannins present and accounted for. Blueberry, blackberry and cherry influence. Hits you up front then nice finish. Really enjoyed this wine and it will only get better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very enjoyable wine but it is much too young. It was very tighly wound even after a 2 hour decant. This wine really needs some time on it's side to show what it has. Should be over the top good in a few years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/25/2023 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pulled the cork two hours before dinner. Ripe fruit with some sweetness but very good with lots of depth and flavor layers. Very good.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (12)
3/5/2023 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a magnum. Dark, savory, a glycerined texture but no heat. Brambly red and black fruit underpinned by a spice backbone. Some pepper, graphite and herbs. Many, many years ahead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2023 - caroleandjay Likes this wine: 95 Points
Xmas day with 1 hour decant.
Clear, deep deep ruby, with minimal meniscus and high viscosity.
N of cherry, blueberry, blackberry mint, vanilla and cocoa.
Palate matches the nose. Begins with fruit, oak flavors mix in, and then back to the fruit for the long finish. Tannins rise in the middle as well.
Full bodied, med+ acidity. This will definitely last much longer - drinks well but should continue to improve.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2022 - brasstab Likes this wine: 98 Points
A real stunner. Killed on so many levels - savory, structured and completely alive. The fruit was vibrant and brooding all at once. Larkmead is the most underrated winery in Napa IMHO.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2022 - yeti575rider wrote: 93 Points
Still holding strong. Put this one in the middle of my other 2. Not hitting the highs of the first one but still a very good bottle of wine. No detailed notes so scored more on impression. Fruit still holding well, a bit of the usual Larkmead earthiness.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2022 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautifully aged. Soft and silky, well balanced. Elegant. Red and blue fruit.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2021 - phattyjrb Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent, but second place to the Solari on this night.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2021 - dnddrinkwine wrote:
Cork was pristine, looked new. Decanted an hour and consumed over the next three. While it was certainly better with air, it never quite became what I thought it would. It hit the notes, had nice lift and the alcohol was unnoticeable but it was very primary, thin and had way more of a green streak than I would have expected. Finish was tart and short.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2021 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark, blackberry fruit, layered and concentrated…cannot believe this is 11 years old. After an hour decant, drinks fresh, like a three year old cab blend. Terrific complexity with notes of lavender, baking spice, mocha and a hint of charcoal on the finish. Excellent and drinking perfectly right now.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (5)
8/26/2021 - srshane Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful wine right now
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
limited notes - enjoyable well made napa cab blend.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2021 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
An excellent blend. Has really settled in since our first bottle in 2014.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2020 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Xmas eve tasting w pellet grill prime rib, and retaste 2nd night.
2010 larkmead LMV
2008 Nicolas catena zapata
2009 insignia
2009 QC
I’m shocked to say that the best wine was the catena... ripe, balanced, not a blockbuster, but no flaws.
Insignia was flat, the palate was of little interest.
LMV was second best, a little more round on the palate.
QC is always solid, but the fruit profile (to my palate) delves into burnt, black fruits which is not my favorite.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2020 - srshane Likes this wine: 94 Points
Give this time to open. A deep garnet color, clear. There remains a lot of dark fruit flavor and high, fine tannins. This wine has several years left on it. Drinking well with even a bit more potential
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2020 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Limited notes, no decant, drank over 2 hours w steak. Very good, but not spectacular.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2020 - srshane Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, this wine is drinking beautifully. Plenty of fruit and life left.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2020 - yeti575rider wrote: 91 Points
Been a while since I last had one of these and this seemed worse for wear. No where near the 95 from last time. Part of this issue though was during dinner I had a slightly spicy creole type shrimp dish and I got this weird interplay with the wine. So saved for after dinner and it was much better but still didn't bring it. Savory olive thing on the nose was interesting. Taste was currant and some dark cherry, slightly bitter finish. Still seemed like it can go for a while but not sure it will get better in the way I prefer. Make sure to decant through filter as this threw a lot of sediment. Hoping last bottle gets closer to first.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2019 - jeagle wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for one hour but it needed two hours. A lushly textured offering of cocoa and blue fruit is consistent all across the palate. A year or two ago this bottle seemed to have a bit more verve. Cannot say I was disappointed, just not as excited.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2019 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first LMV Salon and it didn't disappoint. I think it still drinks a bit young. Became very smooth with dark fruit but not a ton of complexity early on. Got a bit edgy at the 3 hour mark. Not quite as "all together" as the 2007 Kind we drank alongside.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2019 - msuwine wrote: 95 Points
This Cabernet-based blend has lost some of its push in the two years since I tasted it last (6/17 - 96 points), but it's still fantastic and nuanced wine. This has lasted longer than I thought it would back in 2017, but I'd err on the side of drinking in the next year or two.
Dark red in color and fuller in body, the wine offers a more floral and earthy nose, with notes of blueberry, charcoal, lavender, and herbs. Tastes of blackberry, graphite, crushed rock, and baking spices, with a viscous and lingering finish. Blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot. 14.6% alcohol. This needs a good hour or two of air, since it starts a bit one dimensional. The LMV doesn't usually approach the Solari for me but, in this vintage, it's right there with the flagship.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/10/2018 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking really well right now. Rich and full bodied, with the tannins well integrated. Fruit is somewhat muted, but rich dark fruit flavors. No jamminess at all. My last bottle of Larkmead - too bad the price has gotten out of my comfort zone.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2018 - jcvalenti Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Just wow. Haven't had this wine in about 4 years and while it showed promise then, it is full on glorious now. Powerful, deep fruit, superb balance and structure. This wine has a lot of room to grow, but after an hour decant, it was just wonderful now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2018 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 95 Points
I am kicking myself for not decanting this LMV and allowing it to breathe for an hour or two before diving in, because the last glass of this bottle was so good and so much different than the first glass. The descriptive word for this blend for me was 'elegant'. All the parts have come together and as I finished my last glass I reflected that the whole experience demonstrated why LMV is my favorite Larkmead wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2018 - bonedoc wrote: 95 Points
Decanted and drank over 2 hours. At first tannins were a little tight, but then the wine opened beautifully to reveal cassis, blueberry, silky mouthfeel and nice integration of oak. Well done, will go another 5-10. One of the better wines I’ve tasted of many from larkmead.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2018 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 94 Points
So much better than the last bottle. Dark color, heavy mouthfeel with lots of layering of flavors and great extraction. The green taste is gone and the Cab Franc wonderfully integrated. The Cab Sauvignon is just yummy with wonderful fruit, chocolate and spice. Just as great as the Larkmead Cab but theCab Franc gives it more interest and complexity. I thought that I just liked the Larkmead Cab betterbut now I don’t know. I need to buy more of the LMV Salon just to be sure. ��
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2018 - domco wrote:
Pop and pour and ready to go. Dark fruits, a touch of sweet vanilla, nice long finish. Seems to be entering a nice long drinking window.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2017 - JHalvorson Likes this wine: 93 Points
We had this wine opened at Zelo on Nicollet Mall. They kindly decanted it for us and we waited 30 minutes before drinking but that was not really long enough. As more time passed this beautiful wine continued to show. In hindsight we should have had this wine athomewhere it could stand open for a longer period of time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2017 - R&R Likes this wine: 94 Points
Extremely concentrated and tight still! Even after 3 hours in a decanter, it was just beginning to hint at the possibilities! Black currant, violets, graphite, road tar, and sweet blackberries are swirling together, but there is more there, just shrouded at the moment.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2017 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
Well, I suppose I'm in the minority here. This was an ok wine at best for me. Pedestrian and fairly predictable flavors of black and red currant, earth, and some spice. A little leather and dark soil on the back end, coupled with a faint herbal tinge that clipped the finish considerably. Predominantly dark/black in profile, with some earthy minerality that should've added interest, but really just added to a distraction away from any depth to the core fruit. Again, this was ok and not a total disaster by any means, but pretty humdrum and a basic snoozer of a wine overall.
88-90 points tops for me. I don't think time will necessarily help this wine. It was decanted for over three hours, with little change in delivery over that time period.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/10/2017 - Ben&Sarah Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened bottle for 90 minutes, then did a blind comparison between a glass from the bottle and one decanted. Both my wife and I liked the one from the bottle that had been opened: more aromatic, more depth of flavor. This is drinking well now, and may continue to improve for a couple more years. Loved it
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2017 - wirelesswine wrote: 96 Points
Wow. This wine really stood out in a field of over two dozen at a wine dinner. I got the pencil shavings on the nose which I often expect from Larkmead; but the melange of fruits and the acidity was just begging for another sip, again and again. High viscosity, and a big wine for sure, yet all factors in balance. I'm sure this wine will age for some time, but it's showing quite well now also. Tasted alongside an '11 Schrader RBS To Kalon and they were both stunning and quite similar, but the Larkmead shone just a tad more. Very glad I have one more in the cellar.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2017 - msuwine wrote: 96 Points
This stunning Cabernet-based blend is drinking beautifully right now. Dark garnet in color, medium in body, almost floral nose of fresh blueberry, rosemary, and pencil shavings. Tastes of black cherry, plum, gravel, and cedar, with a lingering finish that combines dirt and sugar in a way that is downright haunting. 14.6% alcohol. Has a year or two left at peak, but drink now. I love the LMV - rich, nuanced, balanced - and this is one of the best examples I have ever tried. (For the record, I scored it as highly as the 2004 and 2005, and slightly above the 2008, 2009, and 2012.) Blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/8/2017 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well made wine, no doubt, but still green and tightly wound. Needs more time. I'm still enjoying it right now with an hour in the decanter, but it feels like a waste to drink it right now unless you give it several hours to open up.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/6/2017 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 92 Points
For some reason when Cab Franc isn't well aged it has a green & bitter taste to me. The Cab Sauvignon is just perfectly balanced & harmonious and the Cab Franc just seemed younger & detracted from the blend.
I wanted to try this wine because of the high scores and I'm glad I tried it but honestly I just prefer the Larmead Cab much better. Maybe if I give the wine another year or two the Cab Franc will mellow out some. Still a great wine no doubt.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2016 - phattyjrb Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic. Holding the other one for a few years, if I can...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2016 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful nose - dark cherries, rich and full. Palate was similar. Tannins still not fully resolved, so give this some more time.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2015 - jgkost wrote: 96 Points
Big round soft red fruit with emphasis on integration. Really an outstanding wine drinking well now. May mellow a bit with another year or two but really think it is ready now.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2015 - PVP2014 wrote:
Sold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2015 - yeti575rider wrote: 95 Points
Give this 60 minutes and bam it comes alive. This is all about the mouthfeel as it coats your mouth with fresh currant. Just the right balance between sweetness and acidity and oak intrusion is very mininal. Only slight critique is nose while nice is still a bit closed. Suspect that will come with a bit more time. Glad I have 2 more of these to see the progression. If opening now just decant.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2015 - DCSteve wrote: 97 Points
Waited two years after opening the first of this vintage and it was worth the wait. Galloni rated 97+ and he is spot on. Brought this out for our 25th Anniversary dinner and it did not disappoint. The nose is just wonderful. A little tight right out of the bottle (didn't get a chance to decant), but not overly so and this baby really opened up over a 90 minute drink. Would recommend a two hour decant if you have the time.
Smooth does not begin to describe the wine. Cab Sav with just the right amount of Franc and Verdot make for a great big cali wine that paired well with a big, juicy ribeye.
Drink up or hold - or do both! This wine will not disappoint.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2014 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still way too young, but a great wine. Recommend holding for a few years if you can wait, or open early and decant/aerate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2014 - dlcass Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wonderful wine; Quite young still; didn't quite match the 07 Chappellet Pritchard Hill. Seemed to improve with time after couple of hours. Still a young wine; likely best to wait several more years to try again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2014 - redrules Likes this wine: 95 Points
Incredible. Not ready though. Dense dark fruit full bodied. Boysenberry without its tartness. Layers are somewhat hidden. They could be there in 1 to 2 years I think. Perfect Larkmead character is showing. Very dry, even for Larkmead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2014 - K28226 wrote: 94 Points
A stunner out of the bottle. Poured through Venturi into wide bottom decanter for 1 hour.
Great balance between fruit and acidity with long finish. Just young, which shows with some astringency. It will add Pts with time for sure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2013 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Opened Friday, re-corked; decanted 1 hr and served blind on Saturday. Definitely not a PnP wine, and in fact, it was 1 hr in the glass before it even began to show (a little of) what it had to offer. Gilded palate, seamless and elegant, but fairly linear, too. Continues to add weight and flavors, but ultimately this is just too young to get beyond cherry and vanilla. I'd recommend 3-6 years in the cellar if you're looking for a more comprehensive experience; 10-12 years would prolly be optimal. 14,7% abv, thru 2033. Hard to recommend now (and at $100), but if you've got the time and the bank, you'll want to pick some up. A true beauty in the making.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/27/2013 - DCSteve wrote: 95 Points
Very young, but still enjoyable. Tannins present and accounted for. Blueberry, blackberry and cherry influence. Hits you up front then nice finish. Really enjoyed this wine and it will only get better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2013 - absolutvodka Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very enjoyable wine but it is much too young. It was very tighly wound even after a 2 hour decant. This wine really needs some time on it's side to show what it has. Should be over the top good in a few years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment