2006 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

A bit deeper-pitched on the nose than the 2007 Solari, with aromas of black raspberry, mocha, coffee and graphite joined by an element of exotic spices. Then surprisingly lush and creamy on the palate, displaying a slightly liqueur-like raspberry ripeness lifted by baking spices and a sexy floral quality. Powerful and horizontal, and yet there's something ethereal and Nebbiolo-like going on here. The 2006 growing season brought considerably higher total polyphenols and tannins than 2007 but the tannins hit the palate late and the finish builds slowly, with captivating winter spices emerging. (ST)

Medium ruby. Cool, scented aromas of blackberry, cassis, violet and menthol. Concentrated, sappy wine with lovely inner-mouth floral lift and a complicating herbal nuance to its black fruit and spice flavors. Finishes juicy and firmly structured, with nicely integrated tannins and rising length. A sexy expression of Cabernet--and still short of its peak. (ST)

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot aged 20 months in 60% new French oak) reveals a Medoc-like nose of cedarwood, damp earth, black currants and hints of bay leaf and unsmoked cigar tobacco. Opulence, purity and density combined with a thick, full-bodied mouthfeel and a superb finish all suggest a wine that can be drunk now or cellared for two decades. (RP)