Winemaker Notes
Very dark ruby purple color. Great purity of typical Larkmead fruit –black raspberry, cassis, kirsch, lavender and lifted floral notes; increasingly focused with air. Immediate density of layered dark fruits, succulent, polished and full. Dense ripe fruit core then tightens to gravel, crushed rock and floral complexity. Becomes tighter still as youthful structure begins to dominate, but remains layered, long and packed with flavor.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari charges out of the gate with bold black fruit preserves, notes of blackberry compote, crème de cassis and dried mulberries plus underlying notes of mossy tree bark, tilled soil, camphor and tobacco leaf plus a hint of spice box. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rugged frame of chewy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing on a lingering stewed tea note.
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Wine Spectator
A handsome, richly flavored bottling that shows an edge of roasted coffee, chicory and ripe berry, with a dense, plush midpalate and finish that's still a bit rough and tumble. But this is a good bet to reward. Drink now through 2020.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.