97pts Decanter

The flagship single-vineyard wine from Dan Petroski at Larkmead is remarkable in 2018. Comprised of two parcels at the southern border of Calistoga, bordering St. Helena. Soils are a combination of Cortina gravel and Pleasanton clay. A major level up in every dimension from the already fantastic Napa Valley Cabernet, the nose is enthralling: savoury and floral, ripe but restrained, smoldering and spry. The texture is seamless, multidimensional, bubt has a rustic authentically to it. A truly fantastic wine, and one to be looked to as a benchmark for balance, complexity, age-worthiness and transparency.

97pts Wine Enthusiast

This Cabernet Sauvignon is crunchy, textured and elegant. The palate is driven by grippy tannins, with lifted elements of herbs, crushed rock and violet lingering over ripe flavors of dark cherry and currant. Enjoy from 2028–2038.
Cellar Selection

97pts James Suckling

Beautiful aromas of currants, blackberries and flowers follow through to a full body with ultra fine tannins that are polished and so long and persistent. Linear and very, very fine, yet structured.

96pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari is all Cabernet and was brought up in mostly new French oak. A gorgeous wine from this estate, it has incredible notes of blackcurrants, camphor, new leather, and dried tobacco. It takes some air yet gets even more complex, with ample licorice and loamy soil notes developing as it sits in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific overall balance, lots of underlying structure, and a great, great finish. It's going to need 5-7 years for these tannins to melt away, but this is a beauty.

95pts Wine Spectator

Supersleek in feel, with a very precisely cut swath of cassis, bitter cherry and raspberry coulis notes coursing through, supported with sanguine and iron details and a flash of savory at the end. Restrained, refined and very long. Best from 2022 through 2036.

94ptsRobert Parker's Wine Advocate

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari (Black Label) was aged in French oak, 92% new. It sports a deep garnet-purple color and fragrant notions of boysenberries, black and red cherry preserves and black currant pastilles with hints of garrigue, sautéed herbs and tobacco leaf plus a waft of charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegant and refreshing, features a racy backbone and has finely grained tannins that support the intense red and black fruits, finishing with refreshing herbal lift.
Rating:94+

94pts Vinous

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari is laced with the essence of wild cherry, tobacco, licorice and a whole range of earthy, savory notes. Dark and inward, but medium in body, the 2018 is a bit tightly wound today. I would give it a few years to soften. Like all the 2018s at Larkmead, the Solari is a wine of transparency and nuance. Its resonance is more implied than overtly stated

Winemaker Notes

Sourced from Larkmead's oldest Cabernet Sauvignon blocks, the 2018 Solari presents an exuberantly perfumed nose of red cherries, pomegranates, spiced rum, dark chocolate, molasses, and fresh pine forest. The wine continues to evolve with more time in the glass, exploding with bright red fruit aromas balanced by confectionary notes of toasted spices.

This wine has at once both great length and levity; soft yet gripping tannins coat all corners of the mouth, giving way to a finish of cocoa and orange blossoms that lift and balance the momentous weight of the wine.

Winery Notes

Larkmead Vineyards dates back to the late 1800s, is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2020, and has been owned by the SolarI/Baker family since 1948. The historic Larkmead Estate is composed of 150 acres contiguous to the winery with 110 planted to Bordeaux varieties. The true character of Larkmead and its unique wines are a direct result of the topography, climate, and the exceptional geology of the soils. Larkmead manages the dramatic variation in soil types In order to maximize fruit and subsequent wine quality, which creates a diversified flavor profile. Larkmead is 100% Estate fruit; it is therefore imperative that the land is treated as an ecosystem with all factors interrelated and focus on long term soil health. Larkmead is always seeking environmentally sound, long term solutions that promote the natural expression of their vineyards, resulting in wine that is unique in its purity, texture, and complexity.