Larkmead Vineyards

The land Larkmead occupies was once part of the Napa Valley country estate of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, known as "Firebelle Lil" and named patroness of all San Francisco firemen, in whose honor Coit Tower was later named. Sent to live at the Hitchcock family's Napa Valley country estate, Coit named her new home Larkmead after the meadowlarks in the area, planted three palm trees there, and cultivated a vineyard that included Zinfandel and Riesling among its vines. Three Larkmead wines, the 'Lillie' Sauvignon Blanc, Firebelle, and LMV Salon, are named in her honor. The Salmina family arrived in Napa Valley from Switzerland in the 1860s, leased the Larkmead winery in 1895 and purchased it outright in 1903. Felix Salmina had a background in winemaking, and by 1906 the family's plans for expansion were complete: a new winery, built of stone quarried from the nearby hills, stood on the property. Napa's leading enologist of the era, André Tchelistcheff, considered Larkmead to be one of the four "outstanding wine processing plants" in the valley, alongside Inglenook, Beaulieu Vineyard, and Beringer. After Felix Salmina's death in 1940, the family sold Larkmead to Chicago bottler and distributor Bragno & Co. in 1943; the property was later sold to National Distillers, then in 1948 to the Solari family. The estate's first modern-day vintage came in 1997: a Cabernet Sauvignon overseen by consulting winemaker Paul Hobbs.

• Land originally part of Lillie Hitchcock Coit's Napa Valley estate; she named the property Larkmead, planted three palm trees, and is honored today in the names of three Larkmead wines: Lillie, Firebelle, and LMV Salon
• Salmina family leased the property in 1895 and purchased it outright in 1903; a new stone winery was completed in 1906
• André Tchelistcheff considered Larkmead one of the four "outstanding wine processing plants" in Napa Valley, alongside Inglenook, Beaulieu Vineyard, and Beringer
• After Felix Salmina's 1940 death the family sold Larkmead to Bragno & Co. in 1943; the property passed to National Distillers before the Solari family's 1948 purchase
• First modern-day vintage: 1997, a Cabernet Sauvignon overseen by consulting winemaker Paul Hobbs

Larry and Polly Solari purchased Larkmead in 1948. Larry went on to become President and CEO of United Vintners, the grape grower cooperative that owned Italian Swiss Colony, Inglenook, and Beaulieu Vineyard, then Executive Director at Heublein, and later Chairman of the Wine Institute. Their daughter, Kate Solari Baker, is Larkmead's Proprietor and President; she and her husband Cam Baker, who managed the estate's operations until 2022, directed a complete replanting of the property during their first decade of ownership. Cam Baker, identified by the Napa Wine Project as Stanford University graduate and former Belvedere mayor David Cameron, died in 2023. Kate's three children, Cameron, John and Ann, and three grandchildren, Mac, Lucy and Alma, make up the estate's fourth generation. In June 2024, Larkmead appointed Bill Vyenielo as its new President, bringing more than three decades of experience in the agriculture and wine sector; Kate Solari Baker holds the title of Proprietor and President. Avery Heelan, previously at Screaming Eagle, was promoted from Associate Winemaker to Winemaker in July 2021, taking over from Dan Petroski, who had joined Larkmead in 2006 and been winemaker since 2013 before leaving to concentrate on his own label, Massican. Heelan oversees all winemaking and vineyards, working alongside consulting viticulturist Kelly Maher and vineyard manager Nabor Camerena, and was still Larkmead's winemaker at a May 2026 chenin tasting during Premiere Napa Valley.

• Larry and Polly Solari purchased Larkmead in 1948; Larry later became President and CEO of United Vintners, an Executive Director at Heublein, and Chairman of the Wine Institute
• Kate Solari Baker is Proprietor and President; her husband Cam Baker managed Larkmead's operations until 2022 and died in 2023
• Kate's three children, Cameron, John and Ann, and three grandchildren, Mac, Lucy and Alma, represent the estate's fourth generation
• Bill Vyenielo appointed President in June 2024, with more than three decades of experience in the agriculture and wine sector
• Avery Heelan, formerly of Screaming Eagle, promoted from Associate Winemaker to Winemaker in July 2021, succeeding Dan Petroski, who left to focus on his own label, Massican

Larkmead farms a contiguous 115-acre estate on the Calistoga floor of northern Napa Valley, planted to Bordeaux varieties and, aside from one ancient-vine block, completely redeveloped since 1995. By acreage, plantings are led by Cabernet Sauvignon at 72.7 acres (66.6%), followed by Cabernet Franc at 13.4 acres (12.3%), Merlot at 6.5 acres (6.0%), Petit Verdot at 5.6 acres (5.1%), Sauvignon Blanc at 4.6 acres (4.2%), Malbec at 2.2 acres (2.0%) and Tocai Friulano at 1.1 acres (1.0%). The vineyard is divided into three primary blocks. A Block sits at the property's highest point on the rarest of the estate's soil profiles, Cortina gravel, and anchors Larkmead's Cabernet Sauvignon program; its wines typically show cassis, menthol, dried herbs, black tea and cedar. B Block surrounds the winery on three sides and is Merlot-dominant on loam-based soils; it is one of the estate's lowest-yielding blocks, producing intense wines in limited quantity. C Block, across the road, grows six of the estate's seven varieties, has the most fertile soils and the coolest average temperatures on the property, and is the source of LMV Salon, its flagship bottling. Vineyard manager Nabor Camerena and consulting viticulturist Kelly Maher farm the estate. In July 2021, Larkmead announced that Avery Heelan would also produce wines from the Hillside vineyard, then its most recently completed vineyard development.

• 115 contiguous acres planted to Bordeaux varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon leads at 72.7 acres (66.6%), followed by Cabernet Franc at 13.4 acres (12.3%) and Merlot at 6.5 acres (6.0%)
• A Block sits at the property's highest point on rare Cortina gravel and anchors Larkmead's Cabernet Sauvignon program
• B Block surrounds the winery and is Merlot-dominant on loam soils; C Block has the estate's most fertile soils and coolest temperatures and is the source of LMV Salon
• Announced in July 2021: Avery Heelan to produce wines from the Hillside vineyard, then Larkmead's most recently completed vineyard development

Larkmead earned California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) status in 2023 after nearly seven years of organic farming and several years of certification; the vineyards are completely free of herbicides and neonicotinoids. The estate has held Napa Green Winery certification since 2011 and Napa Green Land certification since 2017, both at the program's highest GOLD level, and in 2024 Larkmead was included in the Slow Wine Guide. Established in 2020, the 3-acre Research Block trials eight grape varieties to gauge which perform well as temperatures rise: Aglianico, Charbono, Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Zinfandel. The Research Block Series, made from that vineyard, comprises three wines: Estate Chenin Blanc, a 100% varietal aged 11 months in neutral French oak and the series' current release; Contour Estate Red Blend, centered on Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon; and Keyline Estate Red Blend, led by Shiraz and a mix of non-traditional varieties, with Contour and Keyline both releasing in fall 2026. Each label carries original artwork by proprietor Kate Solari Baker. The Research Block Series wines are priced between $75 and $85; Larkmead's Cabernets start at $125.

• CCOF organic certification came in 2023 after nearly seven years of organic farming; vineyards are completely herbicide- and neonicotinoid-free
• Napa Green Winery certification since 2011 and Napa Green Land since 2017, both at the program's highest GOLD level; included in the 2024 Slow Wine Guide
• Research Block established 2020 (3 acres, eight varieties): Aglianico, Charbono, Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Zinfandel
• Research Block Series (Estate Chenin Blanc, Contour, Keyline) priced $75-$85; Larkmead's Cabernets start at $125

Larkmead dates its founding to 1895, and the estate has been in the hands of the Solari family since 1948. James Suckling's January 2026 scores for the 2023 vintage ran 98 points for The Lark Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 97 for Solari Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 95 for the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and 94 for Firebelle Estate Red Blend, with 94 for the 2024 Lillie Estate Sauvignon Blanc. Wine-Searcher has credited the Research Block's expansion into Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Aglianico and other grapes with drawing interest from younger wine drinkers to a portfolio historically anchored in Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals.

• Founded in 1895 and owned by the Solari family since 1948
• James Suckling's 2023 vintage scores: The Lark 98, Solari 97, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95, Firebelle 94, 2024 Lillie Sauvignon Blanc 94
• Wine-Searcher: the Research Block's expansion into Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Aglianico "has sparked serious interest among Millennial and Gen Z patrons"

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.larkmead.com/, https://www.larkmead.com/about/, https://www.larkmead.com/vineyards/, https://www.larkmead.com/wines/, https://www.larkmead.com/visit/, https://www.larkmead.com/researchblock/, https://www.larkmead.com/news/. Secondary sources: The Napa Wine Project. Last verified 2026-10-12. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.