2012 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon Solari Reserve

Bright ruby-red; not quite as saturated as earlier vintages of this bottling. Distinctly dark aromas of black cherry, licorice and menthol went into a shell with aeration. Fat, thick and sweet if a bit youthfully monolithic; in a distinctly powerful style and even a tad warm on the end but not especially tannic. According to Petroski, 2012 was "a higher-yield year with a very hot August; 21 straight days after veraison with afternoon temperatures above 101 resulted in slow-cooked fruit." But the harvest did not take place until the first week of October and "the long hang time broke down the skins and resulted in lower tannin levels." Today this is most impressive for its breadth and length, but it needs time. (15.5% alcohol)

A wine with sliced mushroom, bark and spice plus berry and dark chocolate. Full body with forest flower, bramble, and light earth. Powerful and rich. A wonderful expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from here. Pure Cab.

Graphite, smoke, licorice, incense, game and black fruit race across the palate in the 2012 Solari. This is an especially explosive, structured wine for the vintage, with superb balance and the density to support years of exceptional drinking. Black cherries, plums, game and tobacco reappear on the huge finish. This is a rare 2012 that demands patience.