2020 Quella

This a very strong set of wines from the Harlan family’s BOND portfolio of single-vineyard Cabernets. The 2021s, which are still in barrel, are highly reflective of a very strong stylistic shift underway across all the Harlan properties towards an approach that favors much more freshness and verve than in the recent past. I was perhaps even more impressed with the 2020s. These are not easy wines. Like most 2020s, the BOND wines appear to have multiple personalities and can give very different impressions from tasting to tasting. Many of the 2020s were even better after having been opened for a day. That said, I would prefer to drink them on the earlier side because so much is unknown about this vintage.

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.