Bob Boyle

9.5

Absolutely fantastic, tannins resolved but great nose, fruit intact with a long wonderful finish. Best Larkmead I’ve ever had! — 5 months ago

Bob Boyle

9.3

Mineral & lemon on the nose, body full & rich with medium long finish — 10 months ago

Rob N

9.3

I quite like O’Shaughnessy, but these days I probably prefer DiCostanzo for Napa cab. At a higher price point, slight preference for Larkmead and O’Shaughnessy as well. — 5 years ago

Douglas Braun

8.9

This is not fair very well crafted Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley had with the Larkmead which was a really nice Cabernet Sauvignon this Cabernet had big black fruit jammy over powering oak component big tannins — 6 years ago

J Greene

9.3

Easy to drink and a super looonng finish. — 7 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.5

opaque purple, prominent glass staining tears; aromatic, blackberry jam, fig, lavender, kiss of vanilla; dense, intense, sweet black fruit, slightly minty finish; full bodied, medium+ acidity, nice tannin/texture, 14.5% ABV; sourced from a single choice block of Larkmead Vineyard in Calistoga, 100% Olmo clone; drinking beautifully now — 7 years ago

Renee Lanza

9.2

Delicious and crisp! Exactly what I look for in a Sauvignon blanc. Knew it would be good because it’s the side project of Dan Petroski (Larkmead). — 7 years ago

with Christian

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.5

1989 Bordeaux PNV Retrospective at Larkmead. One of my favorites. Looked more youthful than many of the other wines. Dried leaves, peppermint. Leather. Full mouth. Nuanced. Not much fruit left. Classic old claret. — 7 years ago

Bob Boyle

9.0

Classic presentation but having tasted from the release and comparing it to the 08 it never showed as well as the 08, still nice but more staid and reserved but still good — 5 months ago

Randy Fillingim

9.0

Drank for my 75th BD. QUITE DECENT for 19 yrs. — a year ago

Rob N

9.5

2014. Simply excellent, reminds me of an excellent california cab like outpost or larkmead. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.5

This was my contribution for a 10-yr retrospective of Napa cab with a local group. All wines (16 of them) were tasted blind. Others of note were Cardinale, Larkmead, Bryant Family, Vineyard 29, Corra and Jacquelyn To-Kalon.

My first experience with this wine, and when I acquired it, I wasn’t aware it was a 100 pointer. I’ve had many Hall wines but this is definitely their most structured wine. It’s fruit forward but in no way close to their other offerings. At 100% cab, it drinks like it. I let this breathe from bottle for about 2hrs before it was thrown in a decanter for another 2-3hrs and consumed. I had a splash at pop and it was crazy coiled, underripe and dusty. When I came back to it later (albeit blind, so I’m looking at my notes), it sported dark fruit on both the nose and the palate. Dark cocoa dipped black cherries, ripe blueberries and blackberries, as well as cassis and espresso aromatically. There was also a bit of a lavender/floral note that gave it a unique quality. On the palate, it eventually smoothed out beautifully, but was powerful the entire time. Dense and rich with added notes of fig, baking spices, and cocoa dusted fruits. One of those wines that makes you think overpowering, but then dials it down to silk on the finish. I think this is just entering a prime drinking window. Bummer I don’t have more. — 6 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.4

dark ruby violet; cassis, licorice, mocha, vanilla, cedar; intense, concentrated flavors with plum, black cherry, bit of spice; full bodies, good acidity, supple tannins, 14.5% ABV; sourced from Panek, Pellet, Larkmead, and Kennedy vineyards, project of Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh, great appellation level wine at $65 — 7 years ago

Evan Shumway

9.2

Just a baby. Opened for 4 hours and still huge — 7 years ago

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.8

1989 Bordeaux PNV Retrospective at Larkmead. Best wine of the tasting. Perfume. Baking spices. Wow. Gorgeous. Delicious. Lively. Tart balance. CS-driven? Tannins still pushy. — 7 years ago

Bob Boyle

9.1

Started off closed but opened up somewhat but tasted of more Cab & less soft Merlot than expected — 6 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Realm Cellars – The Bard – Red Blend – 2022
Napa Valley AVA – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Realm Cellars’ flagship proprietary red, The Bard represents the most expansive and dynamic expression of Napa Valley terroir. The 2022 vintage is Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant (approximately 70%), supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, with exact proportions varying by year. Sourced from a broad range of elite vineyards spanning Coombsville to Calistoga and both valley floor and hillside sites, this wine is designed to showcase Napa Valley in its full breadth and power.

Aromas & Flavors
Dense and expressive aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry compote, and dark plum lead the profile, followed by graphite, cocoa, crushed stone, and subtle baking spice. As it opens, notes of espresso, cedar, and savory herbs emerge, adding layers of depth and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied, weighty, and concentrated, with a rich core of dark fruit framed by structured yet polished tannins. Despite its power, the wine maintains balance and freshness, carrying seamlessly into a long, impactful finish.

Food Pairings
Prime rib, grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, venison, or aged cheeses such as aged Cheddar, Comté, or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Verdict
A bold yet refined Napa Valley red that captures Realm’s philosophy of sourcing greatness across sites to build a wine of exceptional depth, richness, and presence. The Bard remains a benchmark proprietary blend that delivers both immediate pleasure and cellar-worthy structure.

Did You Know?
The Bard draws fruit from some of Napa Valley’s most revered vineyards, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Beckstoffer Bourn, Blair, Houyi, and Larkmead, contributing to its layered complexity and distinctive Napa identity.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This is a wine every serious wine lover should have in their cellar. Powerful, delicious, and unapologetically Napa, The Bard delivers depth, impact, and pure enjoyment in every glass. — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

This bottle was the first from a case that was purchased direct from the winery on release about ten years ago. The 2007 Napa Valley designation Cabernet Sauvignon received over a third of its fruit from the Larkmead Vineyard and the quality shows. The color was a deep, dark, glass staining garnet with no obvious signs of age. On the nose, this was a powerful tobacco bomb with other delightful secondary characteristics such as earth and olives peaking through the curtain of opulent fruit. The palate was treated to all of the lushness and ripeness I have come to expect from the 2007 vintage in Napa valley; a velvet glove of sweet red and black fruits, leather and baking spices. Tannins are well integrated at this point and this is firing on all cylinders. Anyone with well stored examples of these will be well rewarded on the pop and pour. Drink now and over the next few years. — 6 years ago

Bill Bender

9.3

I met @Aaron Hamrock on Wednesday and the first wines he shared were a ‘86 Mouton (my Red Wine of the trip), a ‘90 Beausajor a ‘07 Larkmead Lark and this, the holy grail of Spanish wines. Pretty solid intro. This was rich and round but still not fully strutting in my opinion. If the dinner was 2 hours longer and it hadn’t been completely drained it would have been interesting to see where this went. I say hold if you have one, which you probably don’t. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

FFV first constructed as the Larkmead Winery in 1884, the building was refinished with native sandstone from the nearby hills in 1906 and still stands tall today. Blended with 11% Petite Sirah, aromas of rich dark fruits with herb spice notes. On the palate cherry and raspberry flavors with some vanilla oak and pepper spice. Firm tannins, medium finish, good mouthfeel ending with spicy fruit character. Nice! — 7 years ago