Larkmead Firebelle 2012

Upon first breath, the wine casts a demure and reticent aroma profile that is so polished that when it does reveal its secondary notes of petit fleur and red fruit, it does so in an extremely elegant fashion. The aromas of thick, ripe plum skin and blackcurrants never tip the scale towards hedonism; instead, the wine begins to reveal an almost Syrah like wisp of violets and a Pinot Noir like hint of rose petals. The palate opens with the unmistakable darker side of Merlot, eschewing the grape’s typical generosity for a more serious and potentially powerful wine. Before you have a chance to evaluate the Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet’s secondary roles on the palate, the wine’s youthful tannins stretch the wine’s core leaving behind a dusting of earthy spice and savory character. The pure, compact palate begs for cellaring and evaluation over time. The Firebelle, with Merlot at its core, has always been a beloved and immediately approachable wine in the Larkmead line-up. However, in its tenth vintage, the 2012 wine truly shines as it steps outside of the lusciousness of the vintage, becomes more refined and polished and inserts itself shoulder to shoulder with its more luxurious sibling and blend, LMV Salon. The 2012 Firebelle is drinkable upon release but will best reveal its totality starting at the fifth year from its vintage date, beginning in 2017, and be capable of cellaring for and additional decade or more.