Purchased from Larkmead at release. Stored in cellar conditions between 55-65°F. The cork is firm and there is minimal seepage. Thos bottle is vibrant with blackberry, some mulberry, and medium acidity. The tannins are an afterthought, present in the background.
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Now is the time to drink this 2011 Firebelle. Having read tasting notes and knowing the 2011 vintage reputation, I was very pleasantly surprised. Then again, Larkmead wines hold up very well. Opened and then decanted 45 mins later helped bring out amazing and subtle flavors this wine is known for. Smooth, elegant taste of dark fruit, chocolate and, a hint of tobacco. A nice mild finish that is slightly mineral. Probably best to drink in the next few months vs letting this rest any longer. The wine looks violet colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle.
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Consistent with previous notes. On opening, this gives off strong BBQ, smoke and even creosote, which can be a little offputting. But the excess fades fairly rapidly, leaving a very relaxed, gentle but rich nectar. Drink now - or hold if you want to gamble.
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A truly fascinating wine. Approached with some trepidation given the reputation of the 2011 vintage. Out of the bottle it was a little funky, with some smoke that soon blew off. What emerged was an incredibly smooth, restrained but elegant wine. It reminded me of the glowing embers of a once great fire, that flare up occasionally to great effect. Blended black and red fruit are evident, with raspberry liquor and the odd violet note. Tobacco too, and chocolate - but all very gentle and sophisticated. Some will find the fruit too faded and complain the wine lacks the power of other Larkmead bottlings, but its appeal lies in the softness of the palate, which remains carefully defined. An acquired taste, but a vote of confidence in the maligned 2011 vintage. Drink note - or hold if you're brave.
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We had this wine opened and poured into glasses a half hour before we started to drink it. Near perfection with venison at Lutsen Lodge on a very cold night. As smooth and balanced a wine as I have had for quite some time.
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This wine needs time to open. Strong black fruit on the nose and palate. Medium to medium high tannins are fine and balanced once open. Drinking beautifully
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Last bottle of this and while not as good as the '09 Firebelle we tried last weekend this is still in good shape. Plummy merlot fruit, with some green notes. Should hold for another five years at least as fruit is still present and lively.
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Say what you like in general about the challenging 2011 vintage in Napa, and you'd probably be right, but this has put on sufficient weight and achieved enough complexity to classify as a beautiful structured and very satisfying red Bordeaux blend. I think this could even go a coupla-three more years, but there is no compelling reason to wait.
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I enjoyed this Firebelle vintage more than the 10 or 12. 2011 was a cold Napa year and the wines needed 6+ years to evolve into their potential. This was a fine Bordeaux blend. I think it has peaked but I don’t think it’s headed down yet. Good structure and notes plum, berries, herbs and leather.
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Interesting blend on this (42% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet franc). Despite the high % of Merlot - it really doesn't come through with the typical Merlot mouthfeel and smoothness. It is actually quite spicy (cracked black pepper) and juicy with red fruits and then also some green bell pepper notes. For me this could have used a bit more acid to give it some more freshness.
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Think this is beginning its downward arc although still pretty good especially for 2011. Just seemed a bit leaner this time. Still has that nice Merlot core though.
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Given the year this was surprising. None of the depth of their better years but an understated elegance in a mid weight style wine. The lack of fruit dominance gives it an Old World feel but without complexity. Well made with what the year had to offer and Kudos.
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Wow; this has improved mightily. Very pleasantly surprised by the evolution of this 2011. The Merlot dominates, and it a good way; this has picked up depth and flavor over the past year or two. Still pricey, but in no way the disappointment that I once feared these wines would be. Drink without trepidation!
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I don't hate on 2011s automatically. And I love Larkmead quite a bit. But this one? Ehhh. Thin and weedy, herbaceous and not in a good way, with an astringent finish that is really not fun. If it improves tomorrow I'll let you know. For now, 86/87.
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Meh wine for the price from winery @$75. Decent job on the wine considering the vintage. 2011s really struggled in Napa that year. Drink up, fully integrated tannins.....it's not going to get any better. Still have 2009s and 2010 I haven't touched yet.
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dark inky purple - nose of malted milk powder, blackberry, currant, and leather. neutral tannins + acidity - Integrated dark fruits and chocolate. An 11 that shows well in a down year.
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delicious, complex, grippy dark fruit and tea spice (agree with isaacjamesbaker note below - more articulate on details). NEEDS DECANTING and will probably improve with more cellar time. I extended drinking window a year to 2020.
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Gorgeous violet color. Bright red and black cherries and currants, some raspberry even, loaded with spiced black tea, violet petals, earthy soil and granite/rocky elements. Vibrant acidity (I really do love the freshness of 2011 Napa reds), and this has plenty of it, but also some dusty-moderate tannic structure. The red currant and cherry fruit is tangy and brisk but still juicy, and the wine is saturated with spiced tea, rose petals, raspberry leaf, tobacco, coffee grounds — lots of complexity in here. Long, lingering, fresh finish with spice and mineral notes. Very impressive now, but can hold for a few more years. For me, the combination of acidity and tannin and fruit is really on point right now.
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Seemed light-bodied and astringent on first sip after a two hour slow O: sipped against a 2012 Browne Family Petit Verdot, the two wines initially weren't all that different in character, in terms of the relative prominence of fruit (The PV, like the Firebelle, came off as light, lean, and vegetal). The Firebelle improved over the course of the meal. An unobjectionable Right Bank blend, but the 27% Malbec, while doubtless crucial for a kind of balance in this troubled vintage, makes for a kind of balance here that is at best subtle and at worst mediocre. Solid for a $35 wine (e,g., the Browne Family PV), but very unimpressive at its actual $75 price point. I'll drink my remaining two of three within the next thirty months.
Paired with marinated grilled sliced flank steak and corn pudding; cherry tomatoes/red onions/preserved lemon; a crunchy chopped kale-based salad. The wine was perfectly serviceable and overpowered nothing.
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Finished the previously coravin'ed bottle. Fruit seemed a bit less vibrant but still was a nice bottle. Very bordeaux like. Probably 91 this time if scoring.
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In what was a difficult vintage of thinner cabs and blends, this Firebelle actually had nice concentration of dark berry fruit. Hints of some chocolate and cassis but not as complex as other Larkmead wines from other vintages. Nicely balanced and overall quite good.
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Coravin pour with no decant. Had to check I had the right year because this was way better than I was expecting for a 2011. Really nice plummy nose. Great fruit, good length with a lot of dark fruit coming through. No signs of any vegetal notes. Seems like it's at peak as I don't see it getting any better as it is delicious now. Wife was totally in sync with me. Rounding up to a 93 since this was such a great surprise.
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I'm really enjoying the '11's from this estate. This bottle was classically Bordeaux structured with hints of pyrazine on the nose, some graphite (which I get from almost all Larkmead wines) and plum and brambly fruit.
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Really nice layers cherry and dark fruits which evolve in the glass over time. The wine has really nice acidity and persistence in the palate and nice flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, plum skin, and some tobacco like aromas. It seems like the mouthfeel is transparent initially and then rounds out for a nice tannic finish. Beautiful and polished.
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Not very interesting for a $75 bottle of wine. Food friendly with light body and acidity, but kind of one-note with limited finish. I doubt additional cellar time is going to help.
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A middle-weight Merlot-blend that gains depth with air - but ultimately can't transcend the limitations of the vintage. Ruby red in color, middle in weight, nose of tobacco and blackberry. Tastes of plum, fruit cake, chalk, and leather. 14.2% alcohol. Firebelle is one of my favorite wines out of Napa, but this is far weaker than the 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2012. Blend of 42% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. I've had three of this vintage over the past year or so, and I think the best strategy is to give it time.
Had this at a steak dinner with 4 different reds for 6 people. Immediately after opening this you could smell the fruit. Everyone in the group liked this, but ultimately, its a good wine, in a bad year. Its not worth the price I paid buying it on the winery's direct sales program, but it is a tasty wine. I plan on drinking my last two bottles this year, before I have any of my 2009s or 2010s.
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Tough vintage for sure but this is excellent nonetheless. Light/medium bodied nose that reminds me of dark cherry pinot. Smells fantastic. For a 2011 cab, imagine it's a warmer climate pinot and it rocks.
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Decanting absolutely required. It was at its best on day 2, actually, while day 1 was disappointing. After hours of air, it took on complexity of red and black fruits, smooth dark chocolate, and the finish lengthened by 30+seconds. As others have noted, the '11 is not a big vintage but the refinement of Larkmead is unmistakable. Silky and pure, nothing about it is remotely forced.
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Very French right bank style here. Not much depth to it. I might have even mistaken it for a pinot if we had tasted it blind. I was hoping for something bolder.
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Tasted at winery. Sort of suffers a bit initially from expectations from earlier vintages but I actually quite liked this after recalibrating to what it is. This is more bordeaux like with less overt fruit but has a nice acidity and is still far from lean. Can call it a food wine but I'd gladly drink by itself as well.
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Decanted for about an hour and a half before drinking. Not a ton of fruit, and while this isn't a huge wine, there are some tannins here that need to be resolved IMO (even after the 3.5 hours it was in glass or decanter. Far from the best wine Larkmead has made, and not a good QPR. However, not that bad either.
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For a casual sipper, this wasn't bad, but it was MUCH better when paired with food. You can tell this was a tough vintage for Napa Valley vintners. When Mother Nature doesn't give you much fruit to work with, there's not much the winemaker can do.
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This is a step up from the cab offering in this difficult vintage. On initial opening floral and a bit shy. With air the darker fruit notes come through with a hint of cedar / wood. Really enjoying this wine.
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4/11/2023 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 93 Points
Purchased from Larkmead at release.
Stored in cellar conditions between 55-65°F.
The cork is firm and there is minimal seepage.
Thos bottle is vibrant with blackberry, some mulberry, and medium acidity.
The tannins are an afterthought, present in the background.
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12/16/2022 - Roentgen Ray Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bright, open and fruit driven.
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2/10/2022 - dontime wrote:
Soft and luscious, with the Merlot taking center stage. Tannins resolved, plenty of fruit, but some secondary notes also. If scoring 90-92.
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11/18/2021 - dougchavez Likes this wine: 92 Points
Now is the time to drink this 2011 Firebelle. Having read tasting notes and knowing the 2011 vintage reputation, I was very pleasantly surprised. Then again, Larkmead wines hold up very well. Opened and then decanted 45 mins later helped bring out amazing and subtle flavors this wine is known for. Smooth, elegant taste of dark fruit, chocolate and, a hint of tobacco. A nice mild finish that is slightly mineral. Probably best to drink in the next few months vs letting this rest any longer.
The wine looks violet colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle.
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9/7/2021 - OWC wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous notes. On opening, this gives off strong BBQ, smoke and even creosote, which can be a little offputting. But the excess fades fairly rapidly, leaving a very relaxed, gentle but rich nectar. Drink now - or hold if you want to gamble.
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6/22/2021 - OWC wrote: 92 Points
A truly fascinating wine. Approached with some trepidation given the reputation of the 2011 vintage. Out of the bottle it was a little funky, with some smoke that soon blew off. What emerged was an incredibly smooth, restrained but elegant wine. It reminded me of the glowing embers of a once great fire, that flare up occasionally to great effect. Blended black and red fruit are evident, with raspberry liquor and the odd violet note. Tobacco too, and chocolate - but all very gentle and sophisticated. Some will find the fruit too faded and complain the wine lacks the power of other Larkmead bottlings, but its appeal lies in the softness of the palate, which remains carefully defined. An acquired taste, but a vote of confidence in the maligned 2011 vintage. Drink note - or hold if you're brave.
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1/19/2021 - JHalvorson Likes this wine: 96 Points
We had this wine opened and poured into glasses a half hour before we started to drink it. Near perfection with venison at Lutsen Lodge on a very cold night. As smooth and balanced a wine as I have had for quite some time.
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3/25/2020 - srshane Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine needs time to open. Strong black fruit on the nose and palate. Medium to medium high tannins are fine and balanced once open. Drinking beautifully
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1/25/2020 - retired_and_roving wrote:
Last bottle of this and while not as good as the '09 Firebelle we tried last weekend this is still in good shape. Plummy merlot fruit, with some green notes. Should hold for another five years at least as fruit is still present and lively.
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7/30/2019 - prism wrote: 92 Points
Say what you like in general about the challenging 2011 vintage in Napa, and you'd probably be right, but this has put on sufficient weight and achieved enough complexity to classify as a beautiful structured and very satisfying red Bordeaux blend. I think this could even go a coupla-three more years, but there is no compelling reason to wait.
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7/13/2019 - Ben&Sarah Likes this wine:
Last bottle - and oddly enough far better than I remember the others being. Still not my favorite year for Firebelle but great with food. Drink now
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6/8/2019 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 93 Points
I enjoyed this Firebelle vintage more than the 10 or 12. 2011 was a cold Napa year and the wines needed 6+ years to evolve into their potential. This was a fine Bordeaux blend. I think it has peaked but I don’t think it’s headed down yet. Good structure and notes plum, berries, herbs and leather.
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5/12/2019 - retired_and_roving wrote:
Interesting blend on this (42% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet franc). Despite the high % of Merlot - it really doesn't come through with the typical Merlot mouthfeel and smoothness. It is actually quite spicy (cracked black pepper) and juicy with red fruits and then also some green bell pepper notes. For me this could have used a bit more acid to give it some more freshness.
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5/11/2019 - Cellar Baron wrote: 94 Points
Sure wish this wan't my last bottle. Thankful my wife only wanted one glass!
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3/31/2019 - Ben&Sarah wrote:
As suspected not getting any better. Drink now - I don’t think these will improve with age
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12/25/2018 - yeti575rider wrote: 90 Points
Think this is beginning its downward arc although still pretty good especially for 2011. Just seemed a bit leaner this time. Still has that nice Merlot core though.
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12/25/2018 - BG533 wrote:
Still a little tight and not as big a fruit as typical Larkmead. Better in 2021 I think.
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12/3/2018 - Skip4wine wrote: 90 Points
Given the year this was surprising. None of the depth of their better years but an understated elegance in a mid weight style wine. The lack of fruit dominance gives it an Old World feel but without complexity. Well made with what the year had to offer and Kudos.
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10/27/2018 - prism wrote: 92 Points
Wow; this has improved mightily. Very pleasantly surprised by the evolution of this 2011. The Merlot dominates, and it a good way; this has picked up depth and flavor over the past year or two. Still pricey, but in no way the disappointment that I once feared these wines would be. Drink without trepidation!
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6/3/2018 - ledocq wrote:
I don't hate on 2011s automatically. And I love Larkmead quite a bit. But this one? Ehhh. Thin and weedy, herbaceous and not in a good way, with an astringent finish that is really not fun. If it improves tomorrow I'll let you know. For now, 86/87.
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1/11/2018 - NCWino1 wrote: 91 Points
Meh wine for the price from winery @$75. Decent job on the wine considering the vintage. 2011s really struggled in Napa that year. Drink up, fully integrated tannins.....it's not going to get any better. Still have 2009s and 2010 I haven't touched yet.
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12/25/2017 - Cullens wrote: 92 Points
dark inky purple - nose of malted milk powder, blackberry, currant, and leather. neutral tannins + acidity - Integrated dark fruits and chocolate. An 11 that shows well in a down year.
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11/19/2017 - MD.Gibson wrote:
...
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10/26/2017 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good fresh berries and mint. Medium body with a hint of leather as well. Good wine
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10/26/2017 - VAWineaux Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great berry and mocha and dark fruit flavors and aromas. Strong structure still although softening up some. Lovely wine.
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9/6/2017 - aatherton wrote: 92 Points
delicious, complex, grippy dark fruit and tea spice (agree with isaacjamesbaker note below - more articulate on details). NEEDS DECANTING and will probably improve with more cellar time. I extended drinking window a year to 2020.
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8/24/2017 - SMHalps wrote: 92 Points
I seemed to enjoy this bottle much more than the previous one that I had from the same vintage. I had this with a lamb burger.
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8/17/2017 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous violet color. Bright red and black cherries and currants, some raspberry even, loaded with spiced black tea, violet petals, earthy soil and granite/rocky elements. Vibrant acidity (I really do love the freshness of 2011 Napa reds), and this has plenty of it, but also some dusty-moderate tannic structure. The red currant and cherry fruit is tangy and brisk but still juicy, and the wine is saturated with spiced tea, rose petals, raspberry leaf, tobacco, coffee grounds — lots of complexity in here. Long, lingering, fresh finish with spice and mineral notes. Very impressive now, but can hold for a few more years. For me, the combination of acidity and tannin and fruit is really on point right now.
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7/21/2017 - Dasher wrote: 91 Points
Great bottle of wine. Needs to rest a couple more years.
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6/24/2017 - prism wrote: 90 Points
Seemed light-bodied and astringent on first sip after a two hour slow O: sipped against a 2012 Browne Family Petit Verdot, the two wines initially weren't all that different in character, in terms of the relative prominence of fruit (The PV, like the Firebelle, came off as light, lean, and vegetal). The Firebelle improved over the course of the meal. An unobjectionable Right Bank blend, but the 27% Malbec, while doubtless crucial for a kind of balance in this troubled vintage, makes for a kind of balance here that is at best subtle and at worst mediocre. Solid for a $35 wine (e,g., the Browne Family PV), but very unimpressive at its actual $75 price point. I'll drink my remaining two of three within the next thirty months.
Paired with marinated grilled sliced flank steak and corn pudding; cherry tomatoes/red onions/preserved lemon; a crunchy chopped kale-based salad. The wine was perfectly serviceable and overpowered nothing.
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3/17/2017 - yeti575rider wrote:
Finished the previously coravin'ed bottle. Fruit seemed a bit less vibrant but still was a nice bottle. Very bordeaux like. Probably 91 this time if scoring.
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2/28/2017 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 92 Points
In what was a difficult vintage of thinner cabs and blends, this Firebelle actually had nice concentration of dark berry fruit. Hints of some chocolate and cassis but not as complex as other Larkmead wines from other vintages. Nicely balanced and overall quite good.
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1/28/2017 - yeti575rider wrote: 93 Points
Coravin pour with no decant. Had to check I had the right year because this was way better than I was expecting for a 2011. Really nice plummy nose. Great fruit, good length with a lot of dark fruit coming through. No signs of any vegetal notes. Seems like it's at peak as I don't see it getting any better as it is delicious now. Wife was totally in sync with me. Rounding up to a 93 since this was such a great surprise.
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11/5/2016 - wirelesswine wrote: 92 Points
I'm really enjoying the '11's from this estate. This bottle was classically Bordeaux structured with hints of pyrazine on the nose, some graphite (which I get from almost all Larkmead wines) and plum and brambly fruit.
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7/1/2016 - Blackwa Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice layers cherry and dark fruits which evolve in the glass over time. The wine has really nice acidity and persistence in the palate and nice flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, plum skin, and some tobacco like aromas. It seems like the mouthfeel is transparent initially and then rounds out for a nice tannic finish. Beautiful and polished.
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4/14/2016 - OakRidge99 wrote: 87 Points
Not very interesting for a $75 bottle of wine. Food friendly with light body and acidity, but kind of one-note with limited finish. I doubt additional cellar time is going to help.
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12/19/2015 - msuwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
A middle-weight Merlot-blend that gains depth with air - but ultimately can't transcend the limitations of the vintage. Ruby red in color, middle in weight, nose of tobacco and blackberry. Tastes of plum, fruit cake, chalk, and leather. 14.2% alcohol. Firebelle is one of my favorite wines out of Napa, but this is far weaker than the 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2012. Blend of 42% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. I've had three of this vintage over the past year or so, and I think the best strategy is to give it time.
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7/11/2015 - ciesel wrote: 89 Points
Lighter in body and alcohol than typical Napa red. Nicely balanced, smooth drink.
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7/3/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had this at a steak dinner with 4 different reds for 6 people. Immediately after opening this you could smell the fruit. Everyone in the group liked this, but ultimately, its a good wine, in a bad year. Its not worth the price I paid buying it on the winery's direct sales program, but it is a tasty wine. I plan on drinking my last two bottles this year, before I have any of my 2009s or 2010s.
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4/3/2015 - rcmccall Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tough vintage for sure but this is excellent nonetheless. Light/medium bodied nose that reminds me of dark cherry pinot. Smells fantastic. For a 2011 cab, imagine it's a warmer climate pinot and it rocks.
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2/14/2015 - K28226 wrote: 90 Points
Tart cherry- very acidic even after 90 minute decant. Then watery, little concentration. It could improve with time.
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1/16/2015 - amitch4 wrote: 87 Points
Drinks more like a $25 bottle vs a $70. Very disappointing Larkmead.
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12/20/2014 - JHalvorson wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 3 hours before serving with prime rib. Outstanding !!
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12/20/2014 - domestic_primate Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pure finesse. Definitely needs some air time (2 hours) but the result is excellent despite the vintage.
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12/6/2014 - Chip Merlot Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanting absolutely required. It was at its best on day 2, actually, while day 1 was disappointing. After hours of air, it took on complexity of red and black fruits, smooth dark chocolate, and the finish lengthened by 30+seconds. As others have noted, the '11 is not a big vintage but the refinement of Larkmead is unmistakable. Silky and pure, nothing about it is remotely forced.
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11/29/2014 - ciesel wrote:
Drank but don't really recall.
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11/8/2014 - Ben&Sarah Likes this wine: 87 Points
OK for a Larkmead. Thin and bright. Drink now - I don't think these will get any better
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10/24/2014 - ajfret01 Likes this wine:
Very Bordeaux. Nice considering the vintage.
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10/24/2014 - domco wrote:
Certainly not bad, but a weaker Firebelle for sure. A little nondescript and slightly hot at first but improved with air.
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10/24/2014 - LARich wrote: 87 Points
Its a stretch to enjoy, mostly due to the limits of this vintage. No real structure and very wimpy. Not bad, just not worth searching for. Drink now
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10/6/2014 - Coachron13 wrote: 88 Points
Very French right bank style here. Not much depth to it. I might have even mistaken it for a pinot if we had tasted it blind. I was hoping for something bolder.
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8/3/2014 - yeti575rider wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at winery. Sort of suffers a bit initially from expectations from earlier vintages but I actually quite liked this after recalibrating to what it is. This is more bordeaux like with less overt fruit but has a nice acidity and is still far from lean. Can call it a food wine but I'd gladly drink by itself as well.
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7/26/2014 - flwinos wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for about an hour and a half before drinking. Not a ton of fruit, and while this isn't a huge wine, there are some tannins here that need to be resolved IMO (even after the 3.5 hours it was in glass or decanter. Far from the best wine Larkmead has made, and not a good QPR. However, not that bad either.
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5/22/2014 - wdb001 wrote: 90 Points
This was way better than the previous bottle. Suffers from the vintage in terms of depth and concentration but drinks really well. Nice food wine.
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4/26/2014 - redrules wrote: 91 Points
Still a Larkmead red. Dark fruit not much ripeness. Nice finish. I think at $45 this would be well priced, but at $75, a little much.
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3/26/2014 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 90 Points
For a casual sipper, this wasn't bad, but it was MUCH better when paired with food. You can tell this was a tough vintage for Napa Valley vintners. When Mother Nature doesn't give you much fruit to work with, there's not much the winemaker can do.
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3/2/2014 - PVP2014 Likes this wine: 90 Points
For an off vintage, very nice, just not as powerful as previous years
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2/28/2014 - purpleteeeth wrote: 91 Points
This is a step up from the cab offering in this difficult vintage. On initial opening floral and a bit shy. With air the darker fruit notes come through with a hint of cedar / wood. Really enjoying this wine.
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