Larkmead’s Solari Cabernet and LMV Salon: 2001-2015

BY STEPHEN TANZER | AUGUST 29, 2019

The Larkmead estate just south of the town of Calistoga dates back to the 19th century, but it’s safe to say that only in the 21st century have owners Kate Solari Baker and Cam Baker truly capitalized on the site’s disparate soil types. In fact, the 110-acre property, a very warm valley floor site, is remarkably diverse, featuring seven different soil profiles, and Larkmead’s six red wines—three blends and three Cabernet Sauvignons, the latter based on single parcels or soil types—take full advantage of this multifaceted estate.

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.

The Larkmead winery

An Estate with a Colorful History  

Larkmead estate, located on Larkmead Lane on the south side of Calistoga, is one of Napa Valley’s largest remaining family operations, offering a wide range of soil types that are particularly suited to Bordeaux red varieties. The property was first owned as a summer retreat by army surgeon Charles Hitchcock, who had moved in 1851 from North Carolina to San Francisco with his wife Martha and daughter Lillie. Lillie, whose drinking, smoking and poker playing were unconventional for her time, was eventually sent by her parents to their country estate to calm down. She named the property Larkmead and was responsible for extensively landscaping it and planting a large vineyard; she also made it a destination for her artistic and intellectual friends in San Francisco. At the time there was actually a Larkmead Station stop on the Napa Valley Railroad, which had recently been constructed by Sam Brannan, the millionaire owner of Calistoga’s earliest hotel/resort, who needed a way to induce visitors to venture so far north of San Francisco.

Lillie Hitchcock married wealthy businessman Howard Coit in 1863 and was widowed in 1885. She went on to become one of San Francisco’s most famous historical figures and a lifelong patron of the San Francisco Fire Department after having been saved as a child from a burning building by a volunteer fire fighter, as two of her playmates burned to death. Her estate later funded the construction of Coit Tower in 1933.

From 1895 through 1942, Larkmead was owned by the Salmina family from Switzerland. Felix Salmina, who had a winemaking background, leased the old wood Larkmead winery in 1895 and purchased it in 1903. By 1906 he finished building a new winery from stone taken from the nearby hills.

Following two changes in ownership after the death of Felix Salmina in 1940, Larry and Polly Solari purchased Larkmead in 1948. At the same time, Larry Solari took a job as sales manager for Italian Swiss Colony, becoming an early pioneer in convincing Americans that wine should have a place at their dinner tables. Through his association with Larkmead and Italian Swiss Colony, Solari became a major client for the wine grapes of local growers.

The Solaris’ daughter Kate grew up in Napa Valley, becoming an accomplished artist. She and her husband Cam Baker eventually took over operation of Larkmead in 1992 and have been responsible for turning what had long been a famous vineyard and winery into a first-class wine estate. They quickly embarked on a meticulous program to completely replant the property, carefully matching varieties, clones and rootstocks to the unique characteristics of the sprawling estate’s multiple blocks and complex soil types.

The Bakers subsequently hired their famous architect friend Howard Backen to construct a modern winery, where they began vinifying their wines in 2005. Today, there are just over 110 acres under vine at Larkmead, and in 2013 the winemaking facility was totally renovated. The number of fermentation tanks was increased from 12 in the original winery to 28 in the new one, which greatly enhanced Larkmead’s ability to separately vinify multiple distinctive sites on the property.