Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley The Lark 2018

97 points/'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "This is an immensely elegant wine, textured and refined in character. Cigar box, sage, cedar and pencil shaving accent a plush midpalate of additional complexity and structure, the fruit a mix of blueberry and black currant, the older vines grown in sandy loam. This is a classic, impressive wine that will do well with further aging; enjoy best from 2028–2038. (Nov 2021)"

96+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "Lastly, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon The Lark is cut from the same cloth, with beautiful currant fruits, dried tobacco, camphor, spice, and chocolate notes, and it's a slightly deep, darker fruited wine than the Solari. Full-bodied, rich, and beautifully concentrated, with a mountain of tannins, it stays balanced, seamless, and lengthy. As with all these wines from Larkmead these days, the cellar is going to be your friend. Hide bottles for 7-8 years if you can, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30-40 years. Drink: 2028-2069. (1/27/21)"

96 points Wine Spectator: "Offers an enticing puff of alder smoke, before giving way to a wonderfully steeped core of red and black currant and cherry fruit. Reveals a backdrop of singed cedar, sweet tobacco and warm, freshly plowed humus, a perfect counterpoint to the flattering fruit, while a lingering savory edge helps the finish ripple with subtle tension. Built for the cellar, too. Drink now through 2040. 124 cases made. (8/7/23)"

95+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "[$360 list] Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon The Lark (Black Label) was matured in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes roaring out of the glass with powerful scents of warm cassis, baked black cherries, warm plums and dried Provence herbs with nuances of grilled meats, unsmoked cigars and licorice with a touch of tar. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with black fruit and savory layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. 130 cases were made. Drink: 2022-2042. (Nov 2020)"

95 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous):"The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon The Lark stands out in this range for its breadth and pure power. Rich, ample and resonant, the 2018 possesses impressive depth. Black cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, cloves and dark raspberry all flesh out with a bit of coaxing. There is plenty of structure, but there is more than enough fruit to balance things out nicely. The Lark is the biggest and most overt of the Cabernets. Hints of scorched earth, licorice, cedar and tobacco infuse the potent finish with striking complexity. Drink: 2026-2040. (Jan 2021)"

Producer notes: "100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purple in the glass and on the nose, the aromas are redolent of blackberries, violets, plums, and currants with delightful violet and dried bay leaf notes that lift and balance the otherwise deep nose. Aged entirely in new French oak, this wine offers sweet, warm baking spices and a hint of black tea from its time in barrel. On the palate, it is at once both soft and structured, with dusty mouth-coating tannins and a brilliant citrus-like streak that balances the luxuriousness of the fruit and oak. As the wine opens in the glass, secondary savory notes of cigar tobacco, soft leather and espresso emerge, finishing with delicate ferrous minerality and silky weighted tannins. 124 cases produced. Alcohol 14.1%."