Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Solari 2015

99 points Jeb Dunnuck: "From clay soils, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari is borderline perfection and reminds me of a young Montrose with its deep cassis and currant fruit, graphite and lead pencil nuances, full-bodied richness, and a powerful, yet opulent personality. This is a gorgeous wine that is certainly approachable today given its purity and balance, yet needs a decade to hit prime time and is going to keep for 2-3 decades. Drink: 2026-2056. (12/29/17)"

97 points and 'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "This is 100% varietal and packed in flavor and body. Low yields make for a densely rich and concentrated experience on the palate--an intense, slightly reduced tangle of chocolate, caramel and dusty compressed black fruit. Earthy, it flaunts crushed rock, gravel and graphite elements, with a streak of fresh acidity on the finish. Enjoy best 2025-2030. Alcohol 14.7%. (Nov 2018)"

96 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari emerges from clay-rich soils on the estate. Pliant, supple and enveloping, the 2015 possesses stunning textural depth and resonance. Soft contours (for a young Calistoga Cabernet) and plush fruit add to the wine's considerable sexiness and allure. Drink: 2025-2040. (Mar 2018)"

93+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari displays an opaque purple-black color with an intense mocha, baked blackcurrants and stewed plums nose plus hints of sautéed herbs, underbrush and tapenade. Full-bodied, concentrated and very firm in the mouth, it offers great ripeness and plenty of power but is just a little chewy and lacking that next-level finesse. Drink: 2017-2032. (Oct 2017)"

Producer notes: "100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Grown on heavy clay soils during a warm year, the perfume of the 2015 Solari reflects these conditions -- the glass is filled with macerated blue fruit, scorched earth and savory aromas. Once the tension is released from the dark and brooding aromatics, Solari’s classic violet tones and dried herb emerge giving a vertical lift to the wine. There is a savory expansiveness on the palate that surrounds the cassis-like fruit profile, with a hint of salty, cured meats, crushed rock and gravel on the outer edge of the wine. A dried herb, bay leaf note persists on the back of your tongue. Red cherry is at the core of dusty, dry tannins that linger for over one minute on the finish. A great wine, even in its youth, with incredible complexity on the palate. Year in and year out, Solari is Larkmead’s greatest wine. Alcohol 14.7%. Barrel aged 19 months in French oak (82% new). 565 cases produced."