Larkmead LMV Salon Red Blend 2016

Larkmead is one of those historic Calistoga estates that manages to feel both timeless and incredibly modern. With the 2016 LMV Salon, they’ve produced a wine that isn’t just a Cabernet blend—it’s a definitive statement on the elegance of Cabernet Franc when grown in the right dirt.

While the estate’s flagship “Solari” is the powerhouse, the LMV Salon is the intellectual heart of the portfolio. In the stellar 2016 vintage, this wine hits a gear that most Napa reds only dream of reaching.

This is a blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and that Franc component is doing some heavy lifting here. It brings a sophisticated, savory edge to the opulent valley-floor fruit. The tannins are fine-grained and polished, providing a structural backbone that carries the weight without being clunky. You get layers of black cherry, graphite, and a touch of savory bay leaf on the finish.

2016 was a goldilocks vintage for Napa—perfect ripening without the heat spikes—and you can taste that balance here. It’s a bottle that demands a decant if you’re opening it tonight, but it has the structural integrity to evolve beautifully in the cellar for another 15 to 20 years.