2018 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Premiere Napa Valley The Lark Ascending Napa Valley 750 ml

Five cases is 60 bottles—a quantity you could stash in a closet. 

That’s precisely how much of the 2018 Larkmead Vineyards The Lark Ascending Cabernet Sauvignon SF Chronicle Winemaker of the Year Dan Petroski crafted for the Premiere Napa Valley auction. And that’s all there will ever be. 

We attended Premiere 2020 on a mission to secure this silky, velvety, pure Cabernet Sauvignon. Crafted from the 99-point vintage that Wine Spectator rated as one of Napa Valley’s greatest ever, it comes from the same plot as Larkmead’s highly decorated The Lark flagship. But whereas that wine is a blend from both sides of the block, The Lark Ascending comes solely from the rich soils of the west side. The result is a staggeringly opulent Cabernet that is phenomenal for early drinking but will age effortlessly for two more decades. 

Founded in 1895, Larkmead is one of the most historic and revered properties in Napa Valley. Esther Mobley of the San Francisco Chronicle described it as “110 acres of prime Calistoga vineyard land, sandwiched between the Mayacamas and Vaca ranges,” giving it “the best influences of both mountains’ benchlands.” 

It goes deeper than that: Because of its position at the intersection of two alluvial fans, the fine material gets washed away from Larkmead and heads down the valley. After millennia, what sits under the topsoil is nearly 300 feet of ancient riverbed gravel. That rocky layer drains perfectly, and imbues the vines with a gorgeous mineral element.

This is an outright museum-piece from one of the greatest terroirs in Napa Valley, not to mention one of its greatest winemaking minds. It’ll make a spectacular addition to your collection.