2012 Firebelle

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. After a little bit of a hiccup with 2011, the winemaker transition from Andy Smith to Dan Petroski seems to have occurred pretty smoothly. 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.

Larkmead is one of Napa Valley's historic wineries. Proprietors Kay Solari Baker and Cam Baker own some of the best and most prestigious vineyards in Napa Valley. Senior Winemaker Andy Smith and his Winemaker Dan Petroski faced the same challenges as everyone else in 2011. The biggest decision was when to pick, as the weather was changing constantly. Some of the Merlot came in before the rain, but the rest of the fruit came in after the second rain, which appears to have been too much to overcome. As a result, Larkmead did not bottle any of their top selections. There is no LMV Salon, Solari or Lark in 2011. All of those wines are back in 2012, however, and they are hugely appealing at this early stage. I also tasted two 2013s, from a year Smith calls the driest in 83 years, right off the skins. Those wines were dark, rich and powerful, with plenty of potential for the future. Readers who want to learn more about Larkmead might enjoy this short video shot with Andy Smith this past spring.