|
Larkmead first opened for tastings by appointment a few years ago after constructing a beautiful, solar powered winery in a white California farm house style. The tasting room has windows all around, an enclosed porch to the side and shaded porches front and back. The vineyards are just past the edge of the small yard and there is easy parking in front. The winery, in a similar building but without the windows is connected via a breeze way.
These vineyards, going back 120 years were once owned by Lily Coit’s family, as in the Coit Tower in San Francisco. In the 1940’s they were sold to another family who has owned them since then. They are impressive vineyards stretching from Highway 29 along both sides of Larkmead Lane and encompassing an amazing variety of grapes, most of which are sold to ultra premium wine makers.
Their own beautifully made wines are sold exclusively at the winery and via the wine club. My clients did a private sit down tasting outside on the back patio after a short vineyard walk and talk. The temperature was heading for a 100 degrees day and even at 10 AM it was 80, but it was very comfortable in the shade. The person pouring for my clients had started off growing the grapes so his insights about that were fascinating, especially in this unusually cool year that has had vineyard managers scrambling and blowing budgets trying to adapt.
Larkmead sits mid-valley so the views of the surrounding hills is lovely, the space is elegant and because permits allow them very limited numbers of appointments there is no sense of rushing. The Frank Family winery across the street, open as it is without an appointment they experience the ‘mobs’ of people looking for good wine. Fortunately they moved into a larger tasting building as part of their restoration because. It is a remarkable to have such an elegant tasting just across the way.
The tasting fee is reasonable, in the 20’s but this is a place where people buy and become members of the wine club frequently so that fee could be waived.
|