2018 Promontory

Promontory is on a slightly later release schedule than Harlan Estate and Bond, so these are the current releases. Winemaker David Cilli has done a tremendous job in giving the Promontory Cabernet a great deal of finesse, especially over the last few years. Although I can’t say it for certain, because I don’t know, my strong impression is that his wines have notably influenced the recent stylistic direction at Harlan Estate and Bond.

Many years ago, Bill Harlan told me he wanted to show me something. He took out a set of maps and rolled them out on a table in the original Promontory winery. He talked of a place that sounded mystical, right out of a fairy tale. He called it “the territory.” The place was Promontory. Whereas Harlan Estate and Bond remain very linked to the specific eras when they were founded, Promontory is all new. It is where vineyard and winery experiments happen first. Promontory has ascended into the stratosphere in a very brief period of time.

These days, the Harlan empire is run by Will Harlan and Winemaker Cory Empting, who have entrusted Winemaker David Cilli with Promontory. Cilli, in turn, has responded with set of stunning wines culminating with the extraordinary 2018. In addition to being made from a very special and rugged piece of land, Promontory is distinguished by its relatively long élevage (by Napa standards) in cask, which is not seen at all in Napa, with the exception of a few very old school estates.