2019 Quella

Two thousand-twenty will likely go down as a seminal vintage at Harlan Estate, Bond and Promontory. More than just a story of a single vintage, 2020 has set a new direction for these properties. The team led by Managing Director Will Harlan and Director of Winemaking Cory Empting faced the same challenges as everyone else, but the results aren't the same. These are some of the very few 2020s I can call exceptional. The entire crop was harvested much earlier than usual, by necessity. Over time, the team was so happy with the wines that harvesting is now much earlier than it was in the past, but by choice. I have written for many years that the wines have been moving towards greater freshness. Two thousand-twenty is a big step in that direction. In addition to the 2020s, I also tasted the 2019s from bottle. Those wines are every bit as compelling as they were from barrel. I must admit that as I have gotten older and become more familiar with the Bond wines, I am especially fond of the Melbury. It is not a powerhouse, like some other wines in the range, but it might be the most finessed of the bunch.

The 2018 Bond Cabernets are phenomenal. Strong site expression, classic Napa Valley richness and vibrancy make these some of the most impressive and compelling wines of the vintage. If forced to choose, I would pick the Melbury and Pluribus as the most complete wines in the range, partly because I feel those wines don't always get their due. The 2019s, which I tasted from barrel, are a bit richer than the 2018s, but perhaps with a bit less delineation. That will be clearer once the wines are in bottle. For now, the 2018s are pretty magical. Winemaker Cory Empting and his team certainly got the best out of the year. That might seem obvious today in looking over these reviews, but the 2018s have really come together since I first tasted them in the spring of 2019, when the wines were shy, awkward adolescents.