November 2024
Decanter
"There’s a wonderful lightness to this wine, with gentle, feathery tannins that are undoubtedly present but nicely integrated at this stage, making room for secondary characters of blackcurrant fruit, star anise, cigar box, and dried spearmint."
November 2024
The Wine Independent
"The 2014 The Lark comes bounding out with eager-to-please scents of plum pudding and boysenberry preserves, leading to suggestions of cigar box, rusty nails, tree bark, and dried bay leaves."
November 2024
James Suckling
"Amazingly saturated and ripe-tasting, this full-bodied wine coats the palate with luxurious dried-fruit and complex oak-spice flavors. It's a brawny, muscular, fully tannic wine that's tempting to drink now, but can easily age for another ten years."
November 2024
International Wine Report
"The 2021 'Solari' Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkable showing in this vintage."
October 2024
Wine Business
"Featuring artwork by Proprietor and Artist Kate Solari Baker, the historic estate's Lark Room will showcase a number of archival prints from her 'Noxious Weeds and Roadside Grasses' series, beginning October 26th, 2024."
Larkmead Vineyards Debuts New Art Gallery, Bringing Together Wine, Art, and Nature
October 2024
Wine Industry Advisor
"Larkmead Vineyards is pleased to announce the opening of a new art installation at its historic estate by Proprietor and lauded artist Kate Solari Baker. Debuting on October 26, 2024, the gallery showcases a number of archival prints, spanning decades, from her series of chalk pastels titled 'Noxious Weeds and Roadside Grasses.'"
Larkmead Vineyards Debuts New Art Gallery, Bringing Together Wine, Art, and Nature
October 2024
Wine Spectator
"Winemaker Avery Heelan is writing the latest chapter at Larkmead Vineyards. . .Heelan’s winemaking is slowly evolving the style of the wines, emphasizing the characteristics she associates with Calistoga—dark fruit flavors along with perfumed notes of rose petal and violet."
October 2024
Wine Spectator
2014 The Lark, 96 points
"Although this shows maturity. . .there’s still a plump youthfulness to the juicy boysenberry, açaí and cherry fruit flavors. Violet, anise and black tea notes help fuel the finish, with a dusting of earth amid its overall silkiness."
October 2024
Drinkhacker
"Larkmead’s 2021 (a Bordeaux-style blend) is one of our favorite California cabs."
September 2024
Wine Spectator
2014 The Lark, 96 points
2014 Solari, 95 points
2014 LMV Salon, 95 points
2014 Dr. Olmo, 94 points
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, 93 points
Larkmead Vineyards: Blind 2014 California Cabernet Retrospective
September 2024
OwenBargreen.com
"The 2021 Solari is a stunning wine made by winemaker Avery Heelan. The palate is refined and elegant with a wonderful herbal streak that mingles well with its generous core of black fruits, molten chocolate and cigar ash. Very complex and delicious."
September 2024
Bloomberg
"While some, such as the just-released inaugural chenin blancs from Larkmead. . .hearken back to Napa’s past before cabernet took over in the 1980s and ’90s, this white trend started about seven years ago with the valley’s ever-growing number of sophisticated, expensive sauvignon blancs."
September 2024
Short Wave - NPR Podcast
"So a few years ago, the winery started an experiment. They put in a research vineyard and put in some of those international grapes, the lesser known ones, the one that Avery mentioned earlier. And they took out some prized Cabernet vines to do it."
September 2024
Decanter
"Larkmead winemaker Avery Heelan found the tannin profiles ‘big and rustic, similar to the 2014 vintage,’ yet was quick to point out that ‘the [growing] seasons were completely different.'"
Napa Valley Cabernet 2021: Full report and buyer’s guide to the vintage’s finest wines
September 2024
National Public Radio (NPR)
"Heelan says the grapes that the vineyard is testing could provide an added boost of color or acidity to cabernet, helping balance out the wine when temperatures take their toll. . .'Honestly, the more we experiment and learn about how to adapt, I think the wines are just getting better and better,' she says."
Cabernet is the most popular red wine in the U.S. Can it endure climate change?
September 2024
Decanter
2021 Solari, 97 points
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, 95 points
2021 Firebelle, 94 points
"Heelan is crafting the blends to be more open and generous upon release, and they are, but they are not lacking in structure. My impression of all three 2021 Larkmead reds is that they should be cellared and enjoyed over the next two decades easily."
September 2024
Beverage Media
"Summer will soon give way to crisp, cool evenings, and the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 from Napa Valley’s Larkmead Vineyards promises warmth and complexity. Rounded out with a touch of Cabernet Franc, the wine opens with aromas of violets and mocha that lead to notes of bramble berry, vanilla, and cedar."
August 2024
Men's Journal
"Last time we checked in with the Solari Baker family and their epic work at Larkmead Vineyards, they were releasing the first wines made entirely by winemaker Avery Heelan, after taking the reins following the exit of Dan Petroski in 2021. Today, they are excitedly announcing yet another years-in-the-making release [the 2023 Chenin Blanc] that is sure to make waves in a wine region dominated by rich and sultry red wines."
Larkmead Announces Their Research Block With Maiden Voyage of Chenin Blanc
August 2024
Wine Enthusiast
"Avery Heelen, winemaker at Larkmead Vineyards in Calistoga, is gearing up to release a Chenin Blanc. It’s one of the first grapes to graduate from her research block—a three-acre vineyard planted to help understand how non-Napa grape varietals interact with the valley’s changing climates. In the interim, she’s quietly been releasing Tocai Friulano. . .Both projects are exciting for her. 'I see Tocai as the valley’s past and Chenin is a projection of our future.'"
The Astronomical Rise of White Wine Isn’t Just A Fad. Here’s Why.
August 2024
Wine Industry Advisor
"This Chenin Blanc truly embodies the ethos of Larkmead Vineyards—a commitment to environmental stewardship and pursuit of excellence." - Larkmead Vineyards Winemaker Avery Heelan
Larkmead Vineyards Unveils Inaugural Release from Pioneering Research Block
August 2024
Wine Spectator
2021 Solari Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 94 points – "Perfumed and seductive."
2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 93 points – "Elegant in style."
August 2024
Wine Country This Month
"Guests will enjoy unparalleled wines from the Larkmead portfolio, paired with delectable bites from local purveyors. Fill your Friday with sweeping estate vineyard views, captivating live music, and award-winning wines at Larkmead’s Sunset Serenade."
August 2024
Wine Traveler
"This picturesque setting provides an idyllic backdrop for wine travelers."
August 2024
Wine Traveler
"Larkmead Vineyards is one of the oldest family-owned wineries in Napa Valley. The Solari-Baker family, proprietors since 1948, crafts some of the most recognized Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley."
July 2024
7x7 Magazine
"Get serenaded in Calistoga. Wrap up the week with a glass of wine, local cuisine, and the mellow sounds of musician Brandon Eardley at this Sunset Serenade series; Friday, 4:30pm to 6:30pm."
July 2024
Men's Journal
"Leave it to Larkmead Vineyards—one of Napa Valley’s most historic and esteemed wineries—to offer next level summer wine events that promise to enchant wine enthusiasts and gourmands alike. Nestled on the floor of northern Napa Valley, Larkmead’s 115-acre estate offers an idyllic setting for an unforgettable summer."
Larkmead Vineyards Offers the Best of Napa Valley at Their Summer Events
July 2024
Wine Spectator
"With fewer bottlings and a renewed focus on old vines, Larkmead’s 2021 Napa Cabernets are wines to watch."
July 2024
Visit California
"Indulge in style as Larkmead Vineyards shows off how to pair its refreshing Lillie Estate Sauvignon Blanc and other wines from its private library with a traditional New England-style lobster boil. The al fresco feast on Aug. 23, 2024, is the perfect kick-off to California Wine Month."
July 2024
Wine Advocate
"Winemaker Avery Heelan is coming into her own at this historic Calistoga property under the ownership of the Solari-Baker family."
2021 Solari Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 94 points
2022 Lillie Estate Sauvignon Blanc, 93 points
June 2024
Marin Living
"Larkmead Vineyards continues its Sunset Serenade series with gatherings on July 26 and August 30. The events feature live acoustic music, current release wines and local bites, all paired with the winery’s scenic backdrop."
June 2024
Decanter
"Larkmead's Lillie Estate Sauvignon Blanc. . .is fermented entirely in oak (39% new) and presents intriguing aromas of oyster shell, sea salt, and white flowers, with a hint of oaky richness. . .solidifying the 2022 as a nicely pleasant and refined expression of this bottling."
June 2024
Napa Valley Life
"Guests will enjoy unparalleled wines from the Larkmead portfolio, paired with delectable bites from local purveyors. Fill your Fridays with sweeping estate vineyard views, captivating live music, and award-winning wines at Larkmead’s Sunset Serenades."
June 2024
Napa Valley Life
"Indulge in style at the Lillie & Lobster Dinner in the Vineyards at Larkmead Vineyards. This al fresco feast is the perfect way to indulge this summer."
June 2024
Marin Living
"Experience the magic of Larkmead Vineyards’ Sunset Serenades, held on the last Friday of each month in June, July, and August. Join Larkmead Vineyards for unforgettable evenings of wine, music, and stunning scenery this summer."
June 2024
Marin Living
"Join Larkmead Vineyards for a magical evening in the vineyard, where the Lillie Estate Sauvignon Blanc will take center stage alongside a traditional New England-style lobster boil."
June 2024
Tilted Map
"If you’re interested in sampling wines made from the grape Napa Valley is famous for, this might be the right tasting for you. . .The story was fascinating to hear, and the property was beautiful. . .Larkmead has a bit of that classic Napa Valley fancy feeling."
How to Plan a Trip to Napa Valley’s Most Sustainable Wineries
June 2024
Gayot
"To honor fathers everywhere, many of our selections come from family estates. . .Larkmead is a truly historic vineyard, dating back to 1895. One of the very finest vineyards in Napa Valley, it has been in the same family hands since 1948. . .This deep ruby colored wine [2021 Cabernet Sauvignon] unfolds aromas of ripe black fruits, cedar, violets and mocha."
June 2024
Forbes
"After working there for two years [Screaming Eagle], Avery eventually became winemaker for Larkmead Vineyards, where she crafts one of the most fresh, elegant and graceful cabernets in all of Napa Valley. 'I believe the future of Napa Valley is in its people, innovation, and being adaptable to climate change,' said Avery."
Young Winemakers At Napa Valley Auction Describe Positive Wine Future
June 2024
Wine Industry Advisor
"Larkmead Vineyards, one of Napa Valley’s oldest family-owned wineries with more than 125 years of history in Calistoga, proudly announces the appointment of Bill Vyenielo as its new President. Bill Vyenielo comes to Larkmead with more than three decades of experience in the agriculture and wine sector, with expertise that makes him an ideal leader to continue Larkmead’s legacy of excellence."
June 2024
WineBusinesss.com
"Larkmead Vineyards, one of Napa Valley's oldest family-owned wineries with more than 125 years of history in Calistoga, proudly announces the appointment of Bill Vyenielo as its new President. 'We are thrilled to welcome Bill Vyenielo as the new President of Larkmead Vineyards,' said Kate Solari Baker, proprietor of Larkmead Vineyards and matriarch of the family."
June 2024
Forbes
Heelan has "shaken up the process, shifting how the winery approaches vineyard and soil selection and pushing for rigorous organic and sustainable viticultural processes—pulling inspiration from both technological innovations in winemaking while paying homage to old-school practices. Her wines also encompass that ethos—inquisitive, but highly precise and timelessly elegant."
3 Incredible California Cabernet Sauvignon Producers To Watch
June 2024
Marin Living
"Larkmead Vineyards is quintessential Napa Valley and so charming you won’t want to leave."
May 2024
Robb Report
"Succeeding a winemaker with an outsize reputation left Heelan with some large shoes to fill, and she is proving herself to be more than up to the task. She frequently walks among the vines with vineyard manager Nabor Camarena, and the two discuss attributes such as clone type, age of the vines, soil type, and sun exposure. Heelan likens her work to that of an artist. “All these factors contribute to crafting a well-balanced and beautiful wine, much like a painter’s palette offers the range of colors needed to render a mesmerizing painting,” she says. “Each color, or component from our vineyard, offers just a glimpse. Together, they create the whole painting.” With that in mind, we are looking forward to viewing Heelan’s masterpieces in the years to come."
How a Young Winemaker Took Over a Legendary Napa Winery—and Succeeded
May 2024
Drinkhacker
"Napa’s Larkmead has been on quite a roll these past few years, garnering high praise from our site as well as others. . .The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is another winner from start to finish, and quite possibly one of the best Cabernets, or any red, I’ll have had the privilege to enjoy in 2024 so far. . .The 2021 Firebelle is going to be simply exceptional with some time and patience."
May 2024
Gayot
"This dark ruby red wine offers a nose of black berries, spices and cigar box. The full-bodied flavor profile is marked by ripe red berries, dried herbs, refined tannins and vivid acidity leading to a generous, complex aftertaste expressing the three grape varietals."
May 2024
Wine Business Monthly
"At Larkmead, we produce and are most known for our single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends. Our wine collection includes four prominent labels and each wine presents distinct portraits of our diverse estate."
April 2024
Wine Enthusiast
“This attractive and sophisticated wine relies on a hearty portion of Merlot combined with the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and aromatics of Cabernet Franc. Tobacco, toasted oak and roast coffee aromatics are greeted by flavors of black plum, sweet tobacco and dark chocolate, with a refreshing lift of fennel. Creamy, palate-coating tannins carry into a long finish for brooding intriguing effect.”
April 2024
Wine Enthusiast
“This distinctive and sophisticated 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is attractive, delicious and built to age. Aromas of freshly roasted coffee cascade into flavors of violet and sweet plum sprinkled with spiced cocoa. The tannins are persistent and velvety carrying into a long finish. Well done.”
April 2024
Wine Enthusiast
“This Cabernet Sauvignon is lifted by the addition of aromatic Cabernet Franc, creating a red wine of depth, concentration and persistence. The intensity of flavors still offers restraint and smart structural balance. Both red and black fruits intermingle with sage, licorice, coffee grounds and a hint of caramel. Impressive persistence.”
April 2024
Inside Winemaking Podcast
"Our conversation takes a worldly twist as we recount the invaluable lessons learned from winemaking internships across the globe. Avery brings her experiences full circle, detailing the sustainable practices and innovative techniques she now employs at Larkmead Vineyards. We discuss the nuances of managing different grape varieties, the delicate balance of the winemaking process, and the team's commitment to preserving the legacy of their historic estate."
April 2024
U.S. News & World Report
"Established in 1895, Larkmead Vineyards is a historic estate situated on 115 acres. It offers a variety of wines – including multiple bottlings of cabernet sauvignon, a red blend, and a very limited-production sauvignon blanc – using sustainable and organic farming practices."
April 2024
Calistoga Tribune
"The release in February of two 2021 wines marks a new chapter for Calistoga’s Larkmead Vineyards, one of the oldest family-owned wineries in Napa Valley. . .winemaker Avery Heelan has stepped into the role with a firm grasp on Larkmead’s signature style and a desire to continue its ever-evolving vineyard research."
April 2024
James Suckling
"Well-balanced, layered and refined with aromas of dark cherries, black olives, dried thyme, wild herbs, black pepper and some bark. It’s full-bodied with finely grained tannins. Textural and polished with a velvety texture on the mid-palate and a very focused, persistent, vibrant and peppery finish."
April 2024
James Suckling
"Aromas of blackberries, dark plums, bark and baking spices on the nose, followed by a medium to full body with fine tannins. Well-built and balanced, with a delicious core of berries and wild herbs on a velvety texture. Focused and flavorful finish."
April 2024
James Suckling
"Intense black and blue fruit character with ground spices, blue flowers, crushed stone and hints of cedar. Full-bodied, deep and succulent, showing harmony and poise. Very fine, compact tannins and vivid acidity leading to a vivid, refined aftertaste."
April 2024
Jancis Robinson
“Larkmead 2022 Lillie Sauvignon Blanc: Smells of white flowers and lemon oil. Beautiful floral notes of lemon pith, grapefruit and green apple have a wonderful, electric sizzle thanks to fantastic acidity. Bright, juicy and delicious. 17.5/20 points”
March 2024
Drinkhacker
"Another 10 years in cellar would not be un-called for with this wine, its notes of charred oak, licorice root, and the darkest of chocolate. . .it somehow still manages to work fairly well today, with enough of a fruity grip. . .in 2034 this is going to be killer."
March 2024
The New Wine Review
"Most California producers have looked to Bordeaux and the Loire Valley for inspiration, opting to make richer, more complex versions from grapes grown in the right places . .Napa Valley and Sonoma County excel at growing this Bordelaise white. . .Here are my Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc musts: Larkmead..."
March 2024
Men's Journal
"Avery worked passionately but patiently the last 3 years as she was the custodian of wines forged by her predecessor. We now mark the release of wines crafted soley by Heelan. . .'Through precise winemaking techniques and preservation of our unique vineyard terroir, I strive to honor the past while embracing innovation for the future of our wines and community,' Heelan says."
March 2024
The Vintner Project
Fifteen women who are redefining the wine industry: Larkmead Vineyards Winemaker Avery Heelan. "As a young female winemaker myself, it is so important to collaborate and learn from many types of people from all over the world and all types of backgrounds. This is what drives us to grow and learn, and it is so important for all people to have a voice and a seat at the table.”
March 2024
Napa Magazine
“The Vine Trail encourages people to get out of their cards to appreciate, up close, the rich agricultural nature of Napa Valley,” remarks Ann Baker of Larkmead Vineyards. Baker, who has an MS in Landscape Architecture, has brought back pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds by planting native species throughout the estate. “We have a lot of vibrant wildlife that we look forward to sharing with people who are passing through on the Vine Trail,” says Baker.
February 2024
Karen MacNeil
"We are tasting the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley from Larkmead Vineyards—one of the oldest estates in Napa Valley. And it makes a different that a wine has a track record, because that track record often translates into a sense of beauty in Cabernet Sauvignon. This 2021 is beautiful, structured, lively, restrained. I’m pretty high on this wine."
Watch for a sneak peek of Karen's hunt for standouts on Day 2 of Premier Napa Valley
February 2024
NapaValley.com
"Founded in 1895, the Larkmead estate is one of the oldest family-owned properties in The Napa Valley. Each and every tasting experience is personalized and unique. . .the Solari wine reflects the remarkable terroir of one single plot of vines, and is considered one of the finest expressions of Napa Valley cabernet."
February 2024
Wine Enthusiast
"From decades-old classics to those recent 2021s, these are the best Napa Cabernet Sauvignons and blends to buy right now... Larkmead Vineyards 2015 LMV Salon: A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, this is a tremendous wine, offering grippy red-currant, tobacco and graphite components around a full-bodied core of weight and breadth. (98 points)"
February 2024
Wine Country This Month
"Baby, it’s cold outside, so why not sit by the fire and enjoy a wine tasting indoors? Red wine tastes so much better when the weather is chilly, so now’s the time to indulge in a rich cabernet blend. . .At Larkmead Vineyards, one of Napa Valley’s most historic estates, there are two fireplaces in the main tasting room. One is located inside, creating a cozy atmosphere for warm, fireside wine tastings, while the other sits on the stunning side porch overlooking the estate."
February 2024
Vinous
"These new releases from Larkmead and winemaker Avery Heelan show a continued move towards a more nuanced style than in the past. That’s a transition that will take some time, as Larkmead had been known for rich Cabernet Sauvignons in line with what most people expect from Calistoga. This is going to be a very interesting chapter for Larkmead, one that could redefine what the estate is all about."
February 2024
Forbes
"Larkmead Vineyards’ 2019 Solari Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to the unrivaled terroir of this historic estate’s vines. . .The Solari is an elegant and approachable wine, and wine connoisseurs with a penchant for historic Napa estates will be eager to get their hands on this bottle for Valentine’s Day and beyond."
February 2024
Vinography
"I can wholeheartedly recommend the 2021 vintage of Larkmead‘s Firebelle red blend of Cabernet and Merlot. It’s a study in elegance and beautifully managed tannins that will satisfy anyone who likes their Napa Cabernet with poise equal to its power."
February 2024
Wine Enthusiast
"Yet, the land is what really proves the point for most of these farmers. Since Larkmead in Napa Valley transitioned to regenerative practices, the soils have vastly improved and the vines are far healthier. 'They’re more resistant to drought, disease and fungus,' says vineyard manager Nabor Camarena. 'We barely need to do anything—the vines take care of themselves.'"
Regenerative Certifications Are Booming Right Now. Are They Worth It?
January 2024
Wine Spectator
"The Larkmead Vineyards 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals an enticing sweet mulberry note out front, backed by red and black currant, apple wood and licorice flavors that cruise through." 93 points
January 2024
Slow Wine Guide USA 2024
"The reds continue to defy the Napa stereotype with vibrant freshness, polished tannins and evidence of perfectly honed oak."
January 2024
JebDunnuck.com
"The flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari comes from older vines and is raised primarily in new barrels. It's notably darker hued compared to the classic Cabernet Sauvignon release and has a darker profile of ripe blackcurrants, red plums, leather, savory herbs, and scorched earth. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that shows the more restrained, focused style of the estate, with good concentration, ripe tannins, and outstanding length, along with a kiss of salinity on the finish. There's not much baby fat, but it has beautiful mid-palate depth, ripe, polished, building tannins, integrated acidity, and I think it's going to age beautifully. Hide bottles for 4-6 years, and it's going to evolve gracefully through 2046.”
January 2024
Wine & Spirits
"Since Petroski left Larkmead to concentrate on his own label, Massican, Avery Heelan has taken over winemaking duties, including the alternative varieties project; she plans to take it forward as Petroski had envisioned. 'Our owners just celebrated their 75th anniversary,' says Heelan. 'That’s partly why sustainability arguments are an easy sell with this family. If what we’re doing allows us to make better wine, it’s worthwhile.'"
Fighting Varieties: Napa Valley’s New Plantings of Drought- and Heat-Resistant Vines
December 2023
The Vintner Project
"For someone who needs their cellar restocked with nothing but fancy wines, try the Larkmead Solari Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $200. The flagship Cab from one of Napa’s most historic estates. This top-scoring wine has been applauded for its incredible balance and purity – and with good reason."
This Gift Guide for the Wine Lover in Your Life is Here to Help
December 2023
Hello! Magazine
“If you are hosting a special dinner during the holidays and want that pièce de résistance at the table, look no further than Larkmead Vineyard's Firebelle Holiday Three Pack. While it's on the pricier scale, the wine will do all the talking, and impressing.”
5 extravagant alcoholic drinks ideal for bringing to a holiday party
December 2023
Wine Business
"With the CCOF status, Larkmead Vineyards authenticates its commitment to the land, the agricultural community, and the quality of their estate vineyards—solidifying the caliber of their wines and honoring their recognized designation as one of Napa Valley’s finest and most environmentally responsible family-owned estates."
Larkmead Vineyards Earns California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) Status
December 2023
Napa Valley Register
"Owned by the Solari Baker family since 1948, Larkmead Vineyards has been a longstanding member of the Napa Valley wine community with a steadfast and unwavering commitment to land stewardship."
December 2023
Wine Industry Advisor
Larkmead Vineyards Earns California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) Status
December 2023
Men's Journal
"Calistoga has long been famous for its Merlot production and Larkmead gladly continues that legacy. Historically a multi-variety blend, Firebelle has the soft, plush texture of Merlot, but with some added structure from its companion Bordeaux varieties. Merlot at Larkmead, planted on rich loam soils full of clay and gravel, is allowed to express its density, weight, and power while maintaining its attractive aroma and flavor profiles."
December 2023
Pursuitist
"For those that love a fruit-forward, savory wine with complexity and depth and structure, the Larkmead Vineyards 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect wine."
December 2023
South Florida Reporter
"About 17 percent merlot and one percent cabernet franc make up the blend to this rounded, luscious wine with easy tannins and balanced acidity. Ripe and juicy blackberry and plum notes with floral and spice aromas. One of the best wines we’ve tasted from this producer."
November 2023
Mass Live
"But there’s also something to be said about breaking open a great bottle of wine around the holidays or giving a special bottle to family members or loved ones as a gift. The 2019 Solari is made entirely with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes aged for 18 months, and the flavors here include plums, cherries, and blackberries. If you have a cool, dark place to store your wine, feel free to set this one aside for at least 10 to 20 years."
November 2023
The Gentleman Racer
"Whether you're a seasoned oenophile or just beginning your journey into the world of fine wines, our guide is designed to help you navigate the vineyards and uncork the essence of holiday cheer. The 2019 Solari is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Silken layers of blackberry, juicy plums, and red currants find espresso beans and a lively vein of blood orange-like acidity."
November 2023
Home Business Magazine
"A great way to express gratitude to your esteemed clients is with a gift combining sophistication and festivity. . .Beyond the elegance of a well-crafted bottle, a gift of wine symbolizes the richness of your professional relationships. It offers a taste of shared successes and the promise of a prosperous future. Larkmead’s 2019 Solari Estate Cabernet makes a fantastic Napa Valley wine that will make you stand out with your business clients."
November 2023
Food & Beverage Magazine
"The Solari is the flagship wine at Larkmead Vineyards. As a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a quintessential Napa Valley wine with an abundance of elegance and complexity. . .This is a fantastic wine now and can easily be cellared for 20+ years. The wine has been applauded for its incredible balance and purity, and offers in-the-glass luxury that’s perfect for enjoying and gifting."
November 2023
The Wine Independent
"2019 Solari, 94 points: Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Solari features scents of blackberry preserves, stewed plums, and warm cassis followed by nuances of underbrush, charcoal, and Indian spices. The medium to full-bodied palate has a chewy texture and soft acidity to frame the spice-laced black berry layers, finishing with a peppery lift."
November 2023
Visit California
"Many wineries here have deep roots as pioneer vineyards, showcasing Napa Valley’s longstanding commitment to premium grapes. Just a few examples: Larkmead, producers of some of Napa’s most celebrated Cabernet Sauvignons, can trace its history back to 1895."
November 2023
Jeb Dunnuck
"The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari is clearly on another level, and it too has more than a passing resemblance to a great Bordeaux with its darker currant fruits as well as notes of truffly earth, saddle leather, burning embers, dark chocolate, and smoked tobacco."
October 2023
Forbes
"Big bold reds for fall fare: 2019 Solari. If you like ‘em big and bold, this is a fine example of that Napa Valley style of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 78% new oak. The alcohol is 14.9% and the wine can use some age to settle things down, but this is a formidable example of old-style California red winemaking, with spice and firm tannins. Only 946 cases produced."
October 2023
DuJour
"The best wines for the fall season: Larkmead Vineyards 2019 Solari. From red to white, sparkling to rosé, these new bottles pair well with cooler temperatures."
October 2023
Napa Valley Register
"Larkmead Vineyards, based in Calistoga, will host a 75th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 14. Larkmead Vineyards was a founding member of the Napa Valley Vintners Association. Bruno “Larry” Solari was a leading executive in the nascent California wine industry, along with his close friends the Martinis, the Mondavis, and the Gallos."
October 2023
Wine Spectator
"2018 The Lark, 96 points: Offers an enticing puff of alder smoke, before giving way to a wonderfully steeped core of red and black currant and cherry fruit. Reveals a backdrop of singed cedar, sweet tobacco and warm, freshly plowed humus, a perfect counterpoint to the flattering fruit, while a lingering savory edge helps the finish ripple with subtle tension. Built for the cellar, too. Drink now through 2040. 124 cases made."
September 2023
Sonoma Magazine
"2023 marks 75 years with the Solari family at the helm of Calistoga's historic Larkmead Vineyards, founded in 1895. To mark this milestone, Larkmead is throwing a party from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 14. The public is welcome; cost is $125 per person. The Solari Family 75th Anniversary Party on Oct. 14 will feature favorite vintages of Solari Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the library, paired with seasonal fare from local purveyors."
September 2023
Men's Journal
Join the Solari family as they ring in their 75th Anniversary of family ownership of the transcendental Napa property, Larkmead Vineyards. Established in 1892, surviving the rigors of Prohibition, and pioneering the single-variety boom of a post-Prohibition demand for wine, Larkmead has long been a leading player in the iconic story of the Napa Valley. For the first time in recent history they open up the grounds to Members and Non-Members alike to commemorate a milestone in custodianship.
September 2023
Decanter
"2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, 92 points: The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon was produced during the transition from winemaker Dan Petroski to Avery Heelan, formerly of Screaming Eagle. Historically, parts of the winery's
estate grapes have been harvested by the third week in September, and in 2020 much was the same, though this is the only wine they bottled for the entire vintage. The 2020 is tightly wound, delicate, and elegant with a medium-bodied palate feel, exuding aromas and flavours of cherries, plums, cranberry, and cedar spices with graceful tannins. What
is evident is the tension and energy teeming from this almost
translucent red, rounded out with dried florals and whispers of mocha and herbs."
September 2023
Wine Business Monthly
Solari Family Celebrates 75 Years of Larkmead Ownership: One of Napa Valley's oldest wineries, Larkmead Vineyards, is celebrating 75 years of family ownership with an estate event on Oct. 14, 2023, in Calistoga.
August 2023
VinePair
"Larkmead Vineyards is one of the oldest family-owned establishments in Napa Valley — much
of the property has been under vine since the mid-1800s. Today, it’s
under the stewardship of the Solari-Baker family, and winemaker Avery
Heelan produces small lots of nuanced, complex wines. They’re Napa Green Certified,
which means adhering to social equity, justice, and inclusion
standards, as well as committing to sustainability and regenerative
practices in the vineyard and winemaking facility."
August 2023
The Local Palate
"Personally, I can’t wait for a chill to hit the air so I can settle in with a rich Napa Valley red, and Larkmead’s 2019 Solari hits the spot—the deeply focused, nicely perfumed cabernet sauvignon also happens to be made by a female winemaker, Avery Heelan."
August 2023
Best Wineries
Larkmead Vineyards is making some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in the Napa Valley from their well-farmed estate vineyard. The winery and vineyard are peaceful, and offer a sense of quiet luxury while the winemaking and viticulture teams continue to innovate in the cellar and vineyards to make better wines and farm more sustainably.
August 2023
Wine Spectator
"2019 The Lark, 95 points: Alluring, with a gorgeous curl of alder smoke emerging from the core of gently steeped black currant and blackberry fruit. Shows warm earth, sweet bay leaf, worn cedar, a flash of game and a smoldering tobacco note buried throughout, with a lingering cast iron accent amid the suave fruit. Distinctive and gorgeous. Drink now through 2039. 199 cases made."
July 2023
Wine Spectator
"2019 Solari, 94 points: Leads with lively sweet bay leaf and sassafras notes, followed quickly by silky-textured yet broad cassis and plum reduction flavors. The finish is enhanced by a late tug of loam and a curl of alder smoke. Shows some sneaky, latent depth. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,115 cases made."
July 2023
Maxim
While the southern half of the valley is flat and hot, the north is blanketed in trees and hugged by mountains. It’s a cooler-than-expected example of just how diverse the Napa Valley is weather-wise. Larkmead captures snapshots of the valley through a range of Bordeaux-style red wines that bottle specific soils and areas within the valley.
July 2023
Wine Spectator
As I made the rounds leading up to my next annual California Cabernet tasting report, I stopped in at Larkmead Vineyards in Calistoga. There’s been a transition here in recent years that mirrors the general progression in Napa lately, as this historic property has a relatively new winemaker and an appropriately shifting winemaking philosophy to go along with her, tilting the winery's lineup toward a fresher vein in the face of a changing climate.
July 2023
Travel Mag
Originally established in 1895, the family-owned Larkmead Vineyards’ Estate Tasting includes a walking tour of the vineyards and winery, focusing on the family’s sustainable growing methods and long history in Napa Valley. Following the tour, guests sample one of the vineyard’s limited-production white wines, before moving on to four red wine, including prestigious library selections and complemented by a light selection of cheese and charcuterie. There’ll also be ample opportunity to enjoy the scenic grounds, amble around the vineyards and pollinator gardens, and take in the panoramic vistas.
June 2023
Beverage Media Metro New York
"An ideal accompaniment to the season's bounty of cookouts is the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from family-run Larkmead Vineyards in Napa Valley. Tasting of fig, cocoa, and fresh mint, it's produced from some of the estate's oldest vineyard blocks and rounded out with a touch of soft Merlot."
June 2023
Robb Report
"The winemaking team at Larkmead discovered different soils in their rocky A block and found that vines planted in the deeper Cortina soil produce grapes with depth and concentration unlike any others grown on the property. The Lark is deep inky purple colored in the glass with aromas of blueberry, black raspberry, and black currant. It is medium bodied on the palate with flavors of purple flowers, black plum, and cassis. The tannins are a bit grippy right now, so either enjoy with a well marbled steak this weekend or lay down for a few years. Drink before 2030."
May 2023
Forbes
"The 2019 Firebelle is a blend of 57 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 43 percent Merlot that shows off the quality and legacy of this historic estate; it’s both powerful and elegant, just like the wine’s namesake, with flavors of red berry fruit, warm spices, and cedar. Firebelle pays homage to Lillie Coit, daughter of the original Larkmead estate owners and a fierce female known for her early-California pioneer spirit."
February 2023
Forbes
"Larkmead Vineyards 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon. This classically styled Cabernet hails from a storied Napa Valley estate winery. Aged for 18 months, this plush and rich wine is best served slowly - decant it for a couple of hours to best enjoy it. It’s phenomenal with steak, and its layers of complexity are best enjoyed in good company this Valentine’s Day."
February 2023
Forbes
"In Napa, Larkmead Vineyard’s Samantha Silva has noticed that visiting younger drinkers want the full experience of interacting with brands as a whole, not just a singular bottle. 'It’s all about the experience—not just the wine,' the estate director says. 'We have found that younger wine consumers want to enjoy fine wine in the context of its whole.'"
February 2023
Vinous
The 2021 Solari is the first vintage that has now been reimagined as a selection of the best lots in the cellar. Dark cherry, plum, espresso, menthol, licorice and cloves are built in a statuesque, deep Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon. This is very promising, but it will need time.
August 2021
Weekly Calistogan
“Classy, classic and a touch of quirky all land on the timeline of Larkmead Vineyards. If you think you know the whole story there you may not; you may not have done enough research, tasted enough of their wine, or listened to enough tales.”
July 2021
Wine Industry Advisor
“Larkmead Vineyards is pleased to announce that Associate Winemaker Avery Heelan has been promoted to Winemaker. Heelan will be taking over from celebrated winemaker Dan Petroski, who joined Larkmead in 2006 and has been the winemaker since 2013. In her new role at Larkmead, Heelan will oversee all winemaking and vineyards, continuing climate action and research initiatives with the Larkmead Research Block and working closely alongside viticulturist Kelly Maher and vineyard manager Nabor Camarena to manage the 150-acre estate. Heelan will also start producing wines from the Hillside vineyard, Larkmead’s most recently completed vineyard development.”
May 2021
Washington Post
“So does this concept of terroir even matter, in a practical sense? Scientists have tested the legend of terroir, either to debunk it as a myth or to prove it. …For more proof that terroir can be tasted, I participated in a recent online tasting for media by Dan Petroski, winemaker of California’s Larkmead Vineyards, and geologist Brenna Quigley. Larkmead is located at the ‘hourglass’ point of Napa Valley, squeezed between mountains to the east and west. That means all the geologic shifts over millennia filtered through this narrow strip of land, giving the vineyards at Larkmead a diverse palette of soils.”
April 2021
Vine Pair
“Larkmead Vineyards is its own little ecosystem. Its water comes from wells on the property, and the water it uses to clean its equipment gets recycled in the vineyard. Anything Petroski puts into the ground finds its way into the water and eventually becomes part of the vines themselves. He says the key to longevity for grape growers is recognizing this and taking baby steps, like participating in Napa Green and practicing organic farming. He maintains that extending the life of vines will not only return winery owners’ investments, but will allow customers to enjoy their favorite wines for years to come.”
February 2021
Decanter
“2011 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon: A unique nose of gunpowder, dried hay, figs and red plums. Impressively youthful in flavour and texture, boasting dried blackberry, chalk dust and a hint of molasses. Tannins are ripe, fresh and drying on the finish, admirably landing at the midpoint of rusticity and density. 93 Points (From 2011 vintage retrospective tasting.)”
February 2021
James Suckling
“I was impressed with the center palate of their reds from 2018. The vintage is an excellent one and produced reds with finesse and elegance due to the long growing season and high levels of crop. Larkmead Winemaker Dan Pietroski said in a Tasting Interview that they have been working on filling in the center palate of the wines by picking slightly earlier and reducing the levels of alcohol in his wines....Whatever he did, his reds shows a a pretty depth and intensity and all this with less than 14 degrees alcohol.”
January 2021
Jeb Dunnuck
“2018 Cabernet Sauvignon The Lark is cut from the same cloth, with beautiful currant fruits, dried tobacco, camphor, spice, and chocolate notes, and it’s a slightly deep, darker fruited wine than the Solari. Full-bodied, rich, and beautifully concentrated, with a mountain of tannins, it stays balanced, seamless, and lengthy. As with all these wines from Larkmead these days, the cellar is going to be your friend. Hide bottles for 7-8 years if you can, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30-40 years. 96+ Points.”
January 2021
Vinous
“Napa Valley's Thrilling 2018's & 2019's: The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Olmo has really come together nicely over the last year. A dark, brooding wine, the Dr. Olmo is imbued with so much character. Black cherry, plum, scorched earth, leather and game reveal a wine of considerable nuance and complexity. There is so much going on here. The 2018 finishes with notable substance and feeling of sheer pedigree that is impossible to miss. 95 Points.”
December 2020
Wine Enthusiast
“2017 The Lark: This is the producer’s top-echelon wine, made from Cabernet Sauvignon and matured in 100% new French oak. Savory earth, clove and black tea accent a core of concentrated black cherry, cassis and plum, the two sides of the equation coming together to make for a cohesive, structured and complex whole. Best 2027–2032. Cellar Selection 97 Points”
December 2020
California Joint Member Resolution No. 272
“Authored by the Honorable Bill Dodd of the 3rd Senatorial District and Cecila M. Aguiar Curry of the 4th Assembly District, Resolution No. 272 acknowledges Larkmead Vineyards for its 125th anniversary, celebrated in 2020, and history of achievements and contributions to the Napa Valley. In addition to the framed original displayed at the winery, the Resolution will forever be stored in the California State Archives.”
November 2020
Wildsam: Napa & Sonoma Guide
“Dating to 1895, Larkmead links to some of the industry's most significant names. And somehow too, you can catch what's next here. Dan Petroski, Larkmead's winemaker, is a latter-day pilgrim: a 47-year-old former magazine pro self-remade into an acclaimed winemaker. He maintains a sharp eye for story, noting that Larry Solari, who bought Larkmead in 1948, was so pivotal to early California wine that jug-wine kings Earnest and Julio Gallo carried his casket. His Larkmead wines often nod to history.”
April 2020
International Wine Report
“The 2017 Solari is another absolutely beautiful wine from Larkmead in this vintage. Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this begins to impress with its gorgeous aromatic profile of fresh red and dark fruits along with fresh flowers, herbs and hints of tobacco that all emerge beautifully from the glass. Displaying wonderful elegance as well as incredible poise and balance, this medium-to full-bodied red is bright, fresh and well-defined, ending with a refined, focused finish. While the 2017 Solari is nothing short of impressive in its youth, it also has the building blocks to age tremendously well for quite some time. 96 Points.”
January 2020
Wine Enthusiast
“Our three California editors reviewed nearly a thousand bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon in 2019. It makes sense: Cabernet Sauvignon is the state’s most widely planted red wine grape and is a signature of the Napa Valley.”
January 2020
Decanter
“A recent bursary from the owners of Larkmead Vineyards, where Olmo established a research plot in 1939, will preserve and digitise the collection so that it can be shared more widely. The first serious records should be available to consult online over the next 12 to 15 months, with archivist Beth Forrestal and head of special collections Kevin Miller currently working through them.”
January 2020
Vinous
“Winemaker Dan Petroski turned out an absolutely stellar set of wines at Larkmead in both 2016 and 2017. The bottled 2016’s capture every bit of potential I sensed in these wines when they were in barrel. Conditions in 2017 were far more challenging than they were in 2016. Yields are down a whopping 43% across the board, much of that caused by heat spikes in both June and July. Remarkably, the 2017’s offer quite a bit of potential just the same.”
December 2019
Weekly Calistogan
“Petroski obtained a letter from Olmo to a fellow viticulturist that confirmed he’d moved the Cabernet clones Oakville Station from vineyards at Larkmead. “I was like – wow, the Oakville clones are from Larkmead,” he said. And he was struck by Olmo’s apparent premonition. “That was 1939, when Napa was prune and oak trees. It wasn’t Cabernet country, and he planted Cabernet – before anyone else.”
December 2019
Wine Spectator
“The 2016 Dr. Olmo is distinctive, with a loamy lead-in that quickly yields to enticing alder, flint, savory, sage and tar notes ahead of a core of well-steeped currant and blackberry fruit. Keeps a smoldering edge through the finish, with earth and fruit notes working together. 94 Points.”
December 2019
International Wine Report
“Top 100 wines of 2019: The 2016 in Napa Valley vintage was one of the best ever on record, and Larkmeads ‘The Lark’ was a highlight and a clear standout amongst many outstanding wines from this sensational vintage, which is why it has earned our award for Wine of the Year in 2019. Winemaker Dan Petroski has crafted this simply stunning wine from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a parcel of older vines planted in the the bale loam soils of Larkmead’s A Block.”
December 2019
Karen MacNeil
“VIDEO: Dan Petroski is the winemaker at Larkmead Vineyards, an historic estate in the Napa Valley, and the founder and owner of Massican, one of the few Napa wineries to focus on top-notch white wines exclusively. Dan was born and raised in New York, and went to Columbia University to study history while playing football. He is a self-taught winemaker and is at the forefront of the climate change discussion in Napa Valley.”
December 2019
UC Davis
“The UC Davis Library announced today that it received a $200,000 gift from the owners of Larkmead Vineyards, Cameron “Cam” Baker and Kate Solari Baker, to preserve the work of one of California’s most influential viticulture researchers, the late Professor Emeritus Harold Olmo. The donation will allow the UC Davis Library, which has been called “the world’s greatest wine library,” to digitize and broadly share Olmo’s work on viticulture, grape breeding and the suitability of grape varieties to different climates and terrains from around the world.”
November 2019
Wine Enthusiast
“2016 Cabernet Sauvignon: This stellar, powerhouse wine is perfumed in aromas of pencil, leather and sage that season a core of mineral and crushed rock. The fruit is equally savory in currant and plum, with a dusting of dark chocolate. 98 Points, Editor's Choice.”
October 2019
New York Times
“At Larkmead, Dan Petroski, the winemaker, has started an experiment to test some possible alternatives over the next 21 years, including familiar California varieties like zinfandel, petite sirah and charbono, as well as grapes from warm European regions, like touriga nacional, tempranillo from Spain and aglianico from southern Italy.”
August 2019
San Francisco Chronicle
“Larkmead is a Cabernet house: The variety represents 73% of its estate vineyards, and its exquisite bottles sell for up to $350. Since Petroski started working for the winery in 2006, he has watched higher temperatures shift the annual Cabernet harvest almost four weeks earlier. In the short term, that’s resulted in delicious wines, and the Larkmead team has been able to mitigate the effects of the heat with tools such as shade cloths, which blanket 90% of its vines... This summer, the Larkmead team is preparing the land for what it calls the research block - an experimental 3-acre parcel with grape varieties known to thrive in warm climates better than Cabernet can... The goal, as it stands now, isn’t to replace Cabernet entirely at Larkmead, but to develop a larger palette with which to supplement it.”
August 2019
Decanter
“Larkmead used to make wines with rustic tannins and texture, and what struck me most was the shift in style between the earlier and more recent vintages, where the individual terroirs show through…Part of that is surely down to Petroski, named San Francisco Chronicle’s 2017 Winemaker of the Year. Petroski began as cellarmaster at Larkmead in 2006, under experienced winemaker Andy Smith, and when he took over in 2012, he gradually began picking at lower sugars and dialing back the oak and extraction to tame the tannins.”
August 2019
KQED
“Overall, Larkmead’s Cabernet Sauvignons (and Tocai Friulano), history (dating back to 1895), gorgeous pastel paintings by co-owner Kate Solari-Baker) and beautiful valley floor vistas will keep you plenty entertained.”
August 2019
Robb Report
“Larkmead’s land has been planted to vines since the 1870s on Napa’s valley floor in Calistoga, so even if the winemaker didn’t know what he was doing, the vines would. This particular wine, the Dr. Olmo, is planted in gravelly soil just perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon.”
August 2019
Vinous
“This spring I had the opportunity to experience vertical tastings of two of Larkmead’s top bottlings, one a Cabernet Sauvignon and the other a blend. I was impressed anew with the exhaustive work that has taken place in both the vineyards and the winery over the past 20 years here. Even the two wines I focused on—the Solari Cabernet Sauvignon and the LMV Salon—have evolved dramatically since their initial vintages (2001 and 2003, respectively) and winemaker Dan Petroski continues to fine-tune these wines in search of greater complexity and longevity and more moderate alcohol levels.”
July 2019
BuzzFeed
“Most wine enthusiasts are familiar with one of the oldest and finest family-owned vineyards in Napa Valley. Larkmead’s 125-year history is intimately connected to the history of Napa Valley, and the way the region became known as the epicenter of California winemaking. The legendary vineyard’s soil is so diverse that it is a snapshot of the entire valley. As a result, Larkmead's stellar wines capture complexity of the local flavors.”
June 2019
St. Helena Star
“Larkmead Vineyards, located at the southern end of the Calistoga AVA, produces smooth, complex wines in an idyllic setting enhanced by landscape architect Ann Baker, daughter of vineyards and winery co-owner Kate Solari Baker. For 20 years, Baker has worked with her parents’ blessing to improve the ecology and soil on Larkmead’s 110 acres of vineyards and surrounding landscape and gardens.”
May 2019
International Wine Report
“The 2016 ‘The Lark’ is absolutely magnificent and is as good as it gets in this fabulous vintage. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the bale loam soils in Larkmead’s vineyards. Typical of all Larkmead’s wines from this vintage, this retains wonderful freshness, balance and striking purity from start to finish. Concentrated, focused and remarkably precise, the team at Larkmead has crafted a simply flawless wine in this vintage, which is nothing short of utterly brilliant now and will also have an incredibly long evolution ahead. 100 Points.”
May 2019
James Suckling
“At first, I wasn’t really blown away by the 2016 vintage in Napa Valley, even though everyone else has been… However, after tasting more than 1,000 wines from 2016 last year with my son Jack and senior editor Nick Stock and more recently in February and March, I am now convinced: the 2016 vintage in Napa and Sonoma Valley is exceptional.”
April 2019
On The Wine Road
“This is such a remarkable, fertile valley. It’s magical, really. It’s a really special place. I’ve traveled all over the world and if you look at where the Ming tombs are located in China and the descriptions of that valley match this valley. This valley has the bones of this incredible vitality and energetics.” - Ann Baker
April 2019
Forbes
“Wine is born in the vineyard, but not all vineyards are created equal. At Napa Valley’s Larkmead Winery, Block A is what Winemaker Dan Petroski calls “the golden triangle.” This is “where the magic happens,” he explains. “There is something about this parcel we cannot define, after eleven years of testing the vines and soil we cannot decipher or replicate in our other vineyards the balance of this block. That’s the beauty of terroir.” Two parcels from Block A comprise their flagship wine—Solari.”
April 2019
Forbes
“These were all deliciously bold Cabs, unquestionably in the brawny Napa Valley style, but their complexity and spice kept giving up more flavors as they mingled with the ribeyes, with tannins already softened up…by meal’s end they still showed finesse over mere power.”
March 2019
Bloomberg
“The vineyard is getting older. As the vines get older they become a little more consistent and stable and actually the textures and flavors and aromas get better as the yields go down and the vineyard ages into itself. I always talk about experience – grape vines and agriculture have experience as well. Vines are perennials. Every year they do it again. They do the same thing under difference circumstances. But it has that experience to build upon. They get more interesting as they get older.” – Dan Petroski
March 2019
Grape Nation | Heritage Radio Network
“Two to three reasons why I would consider Larkmead to be incredibly special. One is its location in the valley. So its “terroir”. It is unique: family-held, three contiguous vineyards, spanning the entire valley floor between the Silverado Trail and Highway 29, with unique soil diversity is something that we don’t see in the Napa Valley. Larkmead is completely diverse in its own right and is cut in half by the Napa River. As any good winemaker is going to tell you land is number one.”
January 2019
San Francisco Examiner
“All wineries have a story, but few match that of Larkmead, located five miles south of Calistoga on an estate that lies between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. Their story unfolds as an integral and colorful part of the history and evolution of wine in the Napa Valley.”
December 2018
Wine Enthusiast
“A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 LMV Salon is a tremendous wine, offering grippy red-currant, tobacco and graphite components around a full-bodied core of weight and breadth. Powerful yet elegant, it retains and celebrates much of the Cab Franc character in its unabashed embrace of dried herb, clove and violet.”
November 2018
Wine Enthusiast
“97 Points – Cellar Selection. With a tiny 3% addition of Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is defined by aromas of violet and crushed rock. Oak, clove and graphite dot a landscape of bold structure on the palate, with bright acidity balancing the concentration and grip.”
June 2018
Wine Advocate
“(96-98+ Points) A barrel sample of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari is medium to deep garnet-purple in color and sings of cassis, crushed black cherries and mulberries with touches of garrigue, cigar box, pencil lead and black soil. The full-bodied palate is absolutely laden with crunchy black fruits and savory layers, framed by rock-solid ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and very minerally."
May 2018
James Suckling
“Who would have thought that the 2015 vintage in Napa Valley could have produced so many fresh and fruity reds? I certainly didn’t think it was possible considering the short growing season and hot, dry and early harvest. And they are all reds — primarily cabernet sauvignon — that everyone is going to want to drink.”
April 2018
Vinous
“Dan Petroski continues to bring greater clarity and precision to the Larkmead wines. The 2015s are terrific, but the 2016s are even more expressive and layered. As always, these Calistoga wines pack a serious punch.”
January 2018
San Francisco Chronicle
“More than 120 years into its existence, Larkmead is undergoing something of a transformation. A recently completed renovation of the facilities includes a brand-new winery whose tanks are fitted precisely to different vineyard blocks, and a gorgeous new building for seated tastings, with a semi-outdoor patio and an indoor, cellar-temperature chamber lined with Georgia O’Keefe-esque paintings by Larkmead owner Kate Solari-Baker... it’s worth noting that the Larkmead wines provide a welcome departure, style-wise, from most other similarly priced bottles from Napa Valley. Collectors, take note.”
January 2018
James Suckling
“Top 100 Napa & Sonoma Wines of 2017: 2014 The Lark (#56) and 2014 Dr. Olmo (#70). As I wrote about Napa Valley’s 2014 vintage earlier last year, the 2014s show their true character and nature of their respective soils and microclimates. What’s in the bottle is more about their respective vineyards than the weather patterns during the year. It was altogether a more balanced growing season than most years in my recent memory.”
December 2017
San Francisco Chronicle
“San Francisco Chronicle 2017 Winemaker of the Year: Over his 11 years at Larkmead, Petroski has honed a focused, but ultimately traditional, voice for the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Structure, a commingling of herb and fruit, tannins that will outlive decades: These are the noble mandates of Cabernet from Napa Valley as from Bordeaux, and have been for centuries… It’s the rare winemaker who can contain multitudes such as these: to forge a style of wine as original and unmoored as Massican while upholding the epitome of the American wine establishment, Napa Valley Cabernet. Or at least, it’s the rare winemaker who can do them both as well as Dan Petroski does. For this, and for much more, Petroski is The Chronicle’s 2017 Winemaker of the Year.”
December 2017
Jeb Dunnuck
“Located north of Saint Helena and pulling all from their estate vineyard located around the winery, owner Cam Baker and winemaker Dan Petroski have produced some true superstars in 2015. These are ripe, full-bodied, majestic, yet structured wines that are going to age beautifully.”
October 2017
Wine Advocate
“The best wines from 2015 are singular, totally unique expressions of their vineyards and are absolutely spectacular. Apart from very fine-grained, silt-like tannins and great freshness that structure the superlatives, it is the sheer range of aromas/flavors this vintage throws up that has me so impressed. In some wines, red, black and blue fruits can be found existing in more or less equal proportions and great harmony. The intensity of floral and spice perfumes that can be found is just astounding. Given the vintage, these characters have come as a wonderful surprise not just to me but to the winemakers as well.”
May 2017
James Suckling
“The 2014s showed their true character of their respective soils and microclimates. Profiles were more about the vineyards they came from, rather than the weather patterns of the year… The wines show a harmony in fruit and structure that will allow early drinking as well as aging.”
April 2017
Forbes
“How did a Nebbiolo-lover from the New York publishing world become an icon of hipster wine while simultaneously producing some of Napa’s most exciting Cabernet for a heritage brand in Calistoga? Because Dan Petroski is uniquely suited for both… Over dinner in Calistoga, I could sense the dichotomy of his character, the toggling between his innate East Coast city sensibility and his newfound agrarian lifestyle as a California winemaker.”
March 2017
Decanter
“Calistoga’s Larkmead is possibly one of the most celebrated but least known of Napa wineries… Dan Petroski, a New York publisher turned winemaker, joined in 2007, after present owners Cam Baker and Kate Solari Baker revived the label. Petroski’s winemaking selection is on the Burgundian model: ‘parcel-based winemaking to express the variation of soils we get up here’.”
December 2016
Vinous
“Winemaker Dan Petroski’s focus on more sustainable farming practices and a move towards picking at lower sugars are two recent developments here. To be sure, this historic Calistoga vineyard naturally produces pretty big, powerful wines, so it will likely be some time before the full effects of these changes are felt. Perhaps more important is Larkmead’s increased focus on single-parcel wines at the top of the range.”
December 2016
Wine & Spirits
“The new cabernet program brings a refreshing shift in Larkmead’s style. Where the previous estate wines were hedonistic and, at times, monolithic, the new bottlings offer a relatively trim presence in the mouth, and a captivating diversity in relation to each other. Tasting upcoming vintages of Solari, Dr. Olmo and The Lark out of barrel and bottle feels like finding an exciting new classic. They are obviously young, but their progressively greater freshness and transparency points to age worthy wines with clearly expressed site characteristics.”
October 2016
Wine Advocate
“Proprietor Cam Baker and his winemaker Dan Petroski continue to prove irrefutably what a first growth terroir Larkmead possesses. Located directly on the valley floor north of St. Helena, this is a superb site, with alluvial, gravelly soils, but there’s diversity in the soil, with plenty of clay, rock and what they refer to as Cortina Gravel.”
October 2015
Wine Advocate
“This famous, historic estate, highly renowned in the late 1800s, sits to the north of St. Helena and to the south of Calistoga. It is a valley-floor vineyard of 110 acres that has been divided into a hierarchy of quality. They have had an incredible run of great successes at Larkmead, with the 2013s easily the match for the impressive 2012s…The three Black Label wines are about as good as Cabernet Sauvignon can be… Cam Baker, the proprietor of Larkmead, told me that the 2013s were off the analytical charts in terms of extract, tannin levels and color density.”
October 2015
Vinous
“...Larkmead remains one of the most distinctive sites anywhere in California. The 2014s are the first wines made with the new internal division of parcels and, perhaps for that reason, show a bit more focus as well as finesse. Winemaker Dan Petroski describes 2014 as a vintage that had both longer hang time than usual and that ripened at lower sugars than are the norm here, with less heat at the end of the growing season. The bottled 2013s are as powerful and bombastic as they have always been.”
July 2015
James Suckling
“Larkmead continues to be a favorite producer in Napa, and its wines remain underrated by many.
December 2014
Vinous
“This is a stunning set of wines from Larkmead. The 2012s are big, powerful Cabernets that will require quite a bit of patience. They are among the most structured wines of the year I tasted. The 2013s are even more intense…Petroski has a decidedly Old World-leaning palate, which seems very well suited to the kinds of wines that seem to emerge pretty naturally from this historic Calistoga site. Longtime Larkmead fans will note a few changes in the wines, such as a move to make Cabernet Franc an important component in the LMV Salon and the evolution of the flagship Lark to a single-parcel wine, rather than a field or cellar selection. Personally, I very much like what is coming out of Larkmead these days, and that is no way a critique of prior vintages, but rather an observation of what looks like a very bright future here.”
November 2014
James Suckling
Top 100 Wines of 2014: 2010 Solari. This is like Mouton 1982 on the nose with lead pencil, blackberry, mint and asphalt. Iodine, iron and blood, too. Toasted oak and coffee. Full body with an incredible depth of fruit and structure to this red. The texture of velvet is compelling and makes you contemplate all great wines. A pinnacle of pure Napa cabernet. Reserved opulence. Please give this at least three to five years to soften with bottle age: Try in 2018.”
October 2014
Wine Advocate
“As I have written before, this is an extraordinary estate spread out in one contiguous parcel (unusual) in the center of the Napa Valley floor, north of St. Helena and south of Calistoga. A singular characteristic of the Larkmead vineyard is that it has a strong vein of old river gravel. Dan Petroski…has not missed a beat finishing the 2012s and producing the 2013s, which Cam Baker believes might be the vintage of the century for Larkmead.”
October 2013
Wine Advocate
“This splendid estate situated in the heart of Napa Valley, just north of St. Helena, has enjoyed a reputation for high quality for well over a century. Tasting with winemaker Andy Smith and Larkmead’s proprietor Cam Baker demonstrated once again just what brilliant wines these can be…2012 appears to be a fabulous vintage for proprietor Cam Baker.”
December 2012
Wine Advocate
“I was completely blown away by Larkmead this year. The 2010s are simply phenomenal across the board. This is also a vintage in which the different terroirs Larkmead works with are vividly marked. While many wineries are aggressively pushing the boundaries of pricing, Larkmead takes the opposite approach. The fashionable cult-loving crowd might look past these offerings, but savvy readers will recognize that Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignons in particular are some of the very best wines being made in Napa Valley today. If forced to choose one top-flight Napa Valley producer that remains under the radar, Larkmead would get my vote. These are spectacular wines that deserve a much broader audience. I can’t say enough good things about what proprietor Cam Baker, winemaker Andy Smith and the entire team at Larkmead are doing at this historic property.”
December 2010
Wine Advocate
“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.”