2023 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

About Larkmead

Larkmead Vineyards is one of the oldest family-owned establishments in Napa Valley. Originally founded in 1895, the 115-acre Larkmead estate is now under the stewardship of the Solari-Baker family.

The broad patch of Calistoga that Larkmead Vineyards calls home has been under vine since the mid-1800s and has witnessed the turning of two centuries. In that time, Napa Valley has transformed from a vinous vestige of the Wild West to one of the most preeminent wine regions of the world. Larkmead played an active role in that swell, as their grapes have contributed to countless, celebrated Napa Valley wines across the decades. Critical to Larkmead’s success, the estate has been in the hands of the Solari family since 1948. This steadiness has allowed for the type of careful study that is necessary to truly unlock a vineyard’s potential. Since the beginning of their modern winemaking history in 1997, the family has relentlessly fine-tuned their viticultural and cellar techniques to express the vineyard’s voice most accurately.

Larkmead’s legendary vineyard features a remarkable diversity of soils that are more typical of a hillside than the valley floor. Centuries of alluvial flow have resulted in the accumulation of ancient riverbed gravel, clay, and loam. Winemaker Avery Heelan captures the nuance and complexity of this site by vinifying small lots according to clonal selection and soil type. The expansive vineyard is farmed organically by vineyard manager Nabor Camerena and viticulturist Kelly Maher.


Larkmead Vineyards is situated above the narrowest point of northern Napa Valley’s tilted hourglass shape. The Larkmead estate is comprised of 115 contiguous acres of vineyard, spread across the valley floor, stopping just shy of the two opposing mountain ranges: the Maycamas Mountains and the Vaca Mountains. The vineyard is planted to Bordeaux varieties, and has been completely redeveloped since 1995 with a single exception: a three-quarters of an acre block of ancient vine Tocai Friulano.

 

A mixture of gravel, clay, and sand interweave across the property, forming a complex mosaic of small, distinct vineyard blocks. Larkmead Vineyards utilizes sustainable and organic farming practices to work with each block on their own terms. The grapes are farmed and vinified separately and then blended into wines that honor the site’s diversity.