Larkmead Vineyards Solari Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA

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The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari displays an opaque purple-black color with an intense mocha, baked blackcurrants and stewed plums nose plus hints of sautéed herbs, underbrush and tapenade. Full-bodied, concentrated and very firm in the mouth, it offers great ripeness and plenty of power but is just a little chewy and lacking that next-level finesse.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari, which is again 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, flirts with perfection. It spent 20 months in 80% new French oak and hails from their Cortina Gravel and clay sectors of the vineyard. They made 793 cases of this compelling wine, which offers great freshness and energy, profound depth of flavor, an opaque black/purple color, and oodles of pure crème de cassis and blackberry fruit intermixed with incense, charcoal and white flowers. It’s a stunner to drink now and over the next three decades.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari, which is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot (945 cases), is a huge, massive wine of great intensity, coiled tightly at present, but with high tannins, formidable extract and unlimited upside potential. This is a real connoisseur’s choice, since it needs a good 5-8 years of bottle age. This is a monster effort from the valley floor and should be respected appropriately. Forget it for now. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035+.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari (100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 70% new French oak) is even better than I thought last year. This spectacular wine boasts notes of white chocolate, hot gravel, crème de cassis, blackberries, licorice and forest floor. A subtle smoky barbecue character is noticeable in the background. This is a thrilling, full-bodied, majestic Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 25-30 years, although its tannic structure suggests cellaring it for 2-5 years will be beneficial.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari bursts from the glass with an exciting array of black cherries, currants, mint, flowers and minerals. The finish turns positively explosive as layers of fruit supported by the most elegant of tannins totally seduce the palate. This is another fabulous showing. In 2010 Larkmead did not bottled their Lark bottling, but instead used that fruit here. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. Larkmead is one of the historic estates in Napa Valley, with a rich lineage that goes back to 1895. The wines I tasted with proprietor Cam Baker and winemaker Andy Smith were all exceptional. Most importantly, though, these are highly individualistic wines loaded with true personality and class. Pricing remains exceedingly fair by Napa Valley standards, considering the quality of what is in the bottle.Available through Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404