2001 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon Solari Reserve

Deep, healthy red. Considerably more vibrant on the nose than the 2002 Solari Reserve, offering complex scents of cherry, red licorice, mocha and loam accented by a whiff of eucalyptus. Not quite as thick or broad as the '02 Solari but much more refined in its texture, showing surprising definition and energy thanks to harmonious acidity. There's an element of European suavity here that's a characteristic of this vintage. Like the 2002 and 2003 Solari Reserves, this wine was made almost entirely from what were the estate's oldest vines at the time, planted on gravel and gravelly loam. (15% alcohol)

(from the estate's oldest vines, planted in two blocks on opposite sides of the vineyard, one on deep gravel and the other on gravelly loam; aged in 100% new oak) Bright saturated ruby. Black cherry, licorice, minerals and a pronounced graphite note on the nose. Richer, suppler and suaver in the mouth, with an intriguing note of cocoa powder. Boasts a juicy sweetness but seems a bit youthfully disjointed on the back end, with some acidity to be absorbed.

The stunning 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari Reserve is a fair value given the inflated pricing for so many California Cabernets. Aged in 100% new French oak, this limited cuvee exhibits a saturated black/purple color in addition to big, sweet aromas of creosote interwoven with road tar, creme de cassis, cedar, and vanilla. Full-bodied, powerful, concentrated, and exceptionally pure, with loads of glycerin and sweet tannin in the finish, it is young and unevolved, but exceptionally promising. Atypical for a 2001, it is soft enough to be drunk young, but 2-3 years of cellaring is suggested. Drink it over the following 15+ years. (Release date Spring 04) Tel. (707) 942-6605; Fax (707) 942-6019