2014 Sauvignon Blanc Lillie

There is a lot to report on at Larkmead. For starters, the wines have been divided into two ranges. The first set of wines are being sold under the Larkmead Vineyards brand, with the classic white label, and draw from multiple parcels across the estate. The top three wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Solari and The Lark) have been given new black labels and are marketed under the Larkmead brand. A Cabernet Sauvignon bottling is made under both ranges. Personally, I think the marketing and branding strategy needs a little help. The wines, though, are terrific. Dan Petroski, one of Napa Valley's most talented winemakers, has done a terrific job coaxing the very best out of these sights. Sadly, the world has caught on to quality here and prices are way, way up. Proprietor Cam Baker could have been a bit more gentle with these increases, which are sure to shock the estate's long-time customers. As for the wines, there is not much to say except that 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.