Review: Larkmead 2021 Cabernet Saugvinon and 2021 Firebelle
Napa’s Larkmead has been on quite a roll these past few years, garnering high praise from our site as well as others. The venerable winery produces a diverse range of varietals across several unique terroirs, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc which are all complex and distinctive. Today, we have the privilege of enjoying two of their recent offerings: a Cabernet Sauvignon and Firebelle, a red blend that’s big on Merlot.
2021 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – The 2020 vintage featured a blend that was 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. This year shifts things quite a bit, removing Merlot from the equation and increasing the Cabernet Franc contribution to 8%, with the remaining 92% as Cabernet Sauvignon. This is big and brutish out of the bottle, so at minimum an hour of decanting or air should be allocated to allow to get some level footing. Allowing for this allows aromas of cedar, blackberry, and violet to evolve and find balance. The wine is very well-structured on the palate, delivering additional notes of vanilla and mocha to cut through and add even more complexity without becoming too jammy or chaotic. It’s delightful without hammering anything home, and graceful in its evolution. Much like its siblings, it is another winner from start to finish, and quite possibly one of the best Cabernets, or any red, I’ll have had the privilege to enjoy in 2024 so far. A / $125
2021 Larkmead Vineyards Firebelle Napa Valley– A blend of 62% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in French oak. Bright with notes of rose petals and raspberries at first, with more elegant notes of blackberry and a slight pinch of cinnamon shining through after a few minutes in the glass. The floral influence shines through but never manages to dominate, with the red and dark fruit more than holding their own from start to finish. It’s possible to drink this now without a tinge of regret, but reserving a minimum of five years in the cellar is undoubtedly the smarter option: This is going to be simply exceptional with some time and patience. A- / $100
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