2012 Larkmead Cabernet Franc

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon bursts from the glass with tons of depth and overall intensity. Graphite, menthol, new leather, smoke, herbs and black fruit are all laced together nicely. Today the tannins are a bit dusty and rough around the edges, but at the same time, the 2012 is nowhere near ready to drink, so there is plenty of time for those contours to soften a touch. The Cabernet Sauvignon is a pretty tannic wine for the year, so patience is key. (AG)

The soft, delicious, complex 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon offers notes of cedarwood, blackcurrants, baking spices, Asian soy, crème de cassis, licorice and a touch of graphite. It continues to remind me of a hypothetical blend of a second or third-growth Bordeaux Pauillac with a Napa Valley Cabernet. Composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot aged 18 months in 54% new French oak, it possesses full body, sweet tannin and should drink well for two decades or more.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Petit Verdot, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is a dead-ringer for a first or second growth Pauillac. Aromas of spring flowers, creme de cassis, licorice, cedarwood and lead pencil shavings are followed by a wine with that wonderful sweet fruit that the French call sucrosite, which is an impression of sweetness even though the wine is totally dry. A superb texture, stunning purity and a full-bodied, blockbuster finish make for a wine that should be reasonably drinkable when released next year. It should age nicely for 20-25 years. This splendid estate situated in the heart of Napa Valley, just north of St. Helena, has enjoyed a reputation for high quality for well over a century. Tasting with winemaker Andy Smith and Larkmead’s proprietor Cam Baker demonstrated once again just what brilliant wines these can be. All of the top cuvees (Solari, LMV Salon and the Lark) were declassified and not produced in 2011. 2012 appears to be a fabulous vintage for proprietor Cam Baker. Tel. (707) 942-0167