2017 The Maiden
United States
Oakville
Napa
Red
Cabernet Sauvignon (2021 vintage)
00
2017
2022 - 2032
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Winemaker Cory Empting describes 2018 as a year with not a lot of rain, but the rain that did fall was well-timed. Harvest was leisurely, as it was throughout most of the valley. In 2018, Empting chose to pick a little earlier than normal, and, also blend earlier. In fact, the 2018 was fully blended when I stopped by in Spring 2019, which is highly unusual. Over the last handful of years, winemaking has moved towards gentler and longer extractions with cooler temperatures, while new oak has come down. The search for finesse is evident in wines that are more elegant and nuanced than ever.
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2021
2025 - 2033
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Harlan Estate is one of the most fascinating case studies in Napa Valley today. Following the imposed need to pick early in 2020 as fires approached, the team led by proprietor Will Harlan and longtime winemaker Cory Empting rethought their views on optimal ripening. They decided to consciously start picking earlier than in the past, a decision that is being closely watched throughout the valley. Of course, radical changes like this also require adjustments in winemaking and aging that I imagine are still being refined. The first wine made in the new direction is the 2021. In tasting the 2021 today, what is clear is that the wine transformed dramatically during élevage. In years past, the difference between wines presented in barrel and then in bottle was much smaller. Today, the change in the wines over that same time is far greater. These are fascinating topics to ponder. Getting back to wine, however, the 2021 has turned out beautifully. It's a gorgeous, vivid wine in every way. The young 2022 is also very promising. Fruit was harvested between August 17 to September 8, once unthinkable for Napa Valley and Harlan Estate. Yields were just 1.25 tons per acre, largely the result of lowering yields in the vineyard to match the size of the canopy and what the vine could do in 2022.
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2020
2023 - 2032
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It’s hard to get to the top, but it’s harder to stay there. As Harlan Estate approaches its 40th anniversary next year, it remains the most visible and talked about winery in Napa Valley. That is a remarkable achievement. I have visited Harlan Estate for many years, starting around 2008. Since then, I have noticed (and written about) a gradual move towards greater energy and vibrancy in the wines in my tastings with Bill Harlan, Founding Winemaker Bob Levy, Founding Director Don Weaver and Winemaker Cory Empting, especially over the last decade or so. When I asked what had changed, the answer was always the same. “Nothing. The vines are just getting older.” It was the same thing, year after year. Of course, the vines were getting older, but I also sensed a shift in sensibility as the younger generation, now led by Will Harlan and Empting, has gradually taken over.
Vintage 2020 was a turning point. Wildfires forced a very early harvest. It was either that or risk the entire crop. The Harlan family made big waves by announcing they would bottle all of their 2020s. In tasting, Will Harlan and Empting found they enjoyed the freshness and more refined structure of their 2020s vis-à-vis previous vintages quite a bit, so much so that they entered the 2021 season with the goal of replicating that general style going forward.
It’s a huge risk for a winery that started in the 1980s and that, therefore, was built with a core audience of older consumers who may or may not appreciate the current wines. Then again, Bill Harlan did not build his considerable fortune by making small bets. There is little question that the style of the wines today is 100% diametrically opposite to the approach favored twenty years ago. Both of those probably represent extremes to some degree, while balance lies somewhere in the middle, which is where I think these wines will ultimately settle over the long term. That said, every winemaker in the valley watches when the Harlan team starts to pick, and their choices are having a profound impact across the valley. Whether or not other estates choose to follow, they are all aware of a new trend that emphasizes freshness and vibrancy more than just textural opulence. Lastly, certain initiatives, such as assigning specific plots of land to members of the viticultural team with the goal of fostering a sense of ownership, place Harlan on a completely different cultural level from most other estates in the region. Today, Harlan Estate is, without question, the most innovative winery in Napa Valley.
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2019
2023 - 2031
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Two thousand-twenty will likely go down 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 Harlan Estate wines have been moving towards greater freshness. Two thousand-twenty is a big step in that direction. I also had a chance to revisit the 2012 and 2002, which is even more interesting in that while those wines were made during different eras, there is a recurring theme that connects the wines across time. Perhaps that is an expression of place, or of a house style, maybe both. But it is quite evident. Last but certainly not least, the bottled 2019s turned out beautifully.
00
2018
2024 - 2034
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2016
2021 - 2036
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2016
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This is a superb set of wines from Harlan Estate.There is no question the wines are more polished and nuanced today than they were a decade ago. But the why is less obvious. Are the current wines reflective of a contemporary aesthetic that seeks both finesse and richness, or do the wines show greater nuance because the vines are older? That is always the question here. I suspect there is a little bit of both going on. Readers will find plenty of elegance in the 2016s, wines from a benign season with no real shock events. It was a different story in 2015, a year Winemaker Cory Empting describes as having a cold beginning and a very hot finish, a set of conditions that reduced production on the order of 35%.
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2015
2018 - 2030
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This is a superb set of wines from Harlan Estate.There is no question the wines are more polished and nuanced today than they were a decade ago. But the why is less obvious. Are the current wines reflective of a contemporary aesthetic that seeks both finesse and richness, or do the wines show greater nuance because the vines are older? That is always the question here. I suspect there is a little bit of both going on. Readers will find plenty of elegance in the 2016s, wines from a benign season with no real shock events. It was a different story in 2015, a year Winemaker Cory Empting describes as having a cold beginning and a very hot finish, a set of conditions that reduced production on the order of 35%.
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2014
2018 - 2029
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The bottled 2014 wines at Harlan Estate are every bit as compelling as they were from bottle. The wines are deceptively medium in body and fresh, both of which will make them nearly impossible to resist on the young side. There is a translucent energy to the 2014s I find hugely appealing. I also tasted the 2015 Harlan Estate, but not the Maiden, as the blend for that wine is always finalized at a later date.
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2014
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These are four exceptionally beautiful wines from Harlan Estate. The 2014s present the naturally slender, lithe style of the vintage, with considerable freshness that gives the wines their bright personalities, while the 2013s are both simply stunning. Once again, I am struck by the stylistic evolution that has taken place here over the last decade. Today's wines are less overtly sweet and less marked by oak than they were in the past. According to Bill Harlan the biggest change is the increased age of the vineyards, but there is more to it than that. A series of small refinements and a never ending quest for excellence are what sets Harlan Estate apart. Outwardly, Harlan Estate projects an image of Napa Valley formality and new classicism, but behind the scenes Harlan Estate is one of the most avant garde wineries in Napa Valley. It's a bit like magic. The trick is to do something without anyone noticing. Getting to the top is hard in any field. Staying at the top is even harder. Bill Harlan and his team have managed to do that, and more.
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2013
2018 - 2033
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These are four exceptionally beautiful wines from Harlan Estate. The 2014s present the naturally slender, lithe style of the vintage, with considerable freshness that gives the wines their bright personalities, while the 2013s are both simply stunning. Once again, I am struck by the stylistic evolution that has taken place here over the last decade. Today's wines are less overtly sweet and less marked by oak than they were in the past. According to Bill Harlan the biggest change is the increased age of the vineyards, but there is more to it than that. A series of small refinements and a never ending quest for excellence are what sets Harlan Estate apart. Outwardly, Harlan Estate projects an image of Napa Valley formality and new classicism, but behind the scenes Harlan Estate is one of the most avant garde wineries in Napa Valley. It's a bit like magic. The trick is to do something without anyone noticing. Getting to the top is hard in any field. Staying at the top is even harder. Bill Harlan and his team have managed to do that, and more.
00
2013
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Harlan Estate is no longer new nor novel. The wines are now modern-day classics, with more emphasis on finesse than ever before. Bob Levy, Harlan's Director of Winemaking, credits the older age of the vines for the quality and personality of today's wines. While the importance of older vineyards can't be diminished, there is more than that to the story. Increasingly, there is little doubt the team at Harlan, headed by Levy and winemaker Cory Empting, has shifted these wines away from pure power and opulence and into a much more polished style. Even with all of their successes, the team at Harlan seems hungry and eager to continue to improve, all signs that tend to bode well for the future. In time, the estate's first 25 years are likely to look like a preamble to what will unfold here in the coming years and decades as the Bill Harlan's children, Will and Amanda, take over the reins. As for the wines, they are pretty special. The 2013s are dark and brooding, which is to say very much in line with the personality of the vintage. Empting responded to the natural power of the vintage by lowering temperatures and doing fewer pumpovers in order to not overextract. The 2012s are much more lifted, sensual and open-knit. Perhaps more importantly, they are among the best wines of the vintage.
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2012
2015 - 2025
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Harlan Estate is no longer new nor novel. The wines are now modern-day classics, with more emphasis on finesse than ever before. Bob Levy, Harlan's Director of Winemaking, credits the older age of the vines for the quality and personality of today's wines. While the importance of older vineyards can't be diminished, there is more than that to the story. Increasingly, there is little doubt the team at Harlan, headed by Levy and winemaker Cory Empting, has shifted these wines away from pure power and opulence and into a much more polished style. Even with all of their successes, the team at Harlan seems hungry and eager to continue to improve, all signs that tend to bode well for the future. In time, the estate's first 25 years are likely to look like a preamble to what will unfold here in the coming years and decades as the Bill Harlan's children, Will and Amanda, take over the reins. As for the wines, they are pretty special. The 2013s are dark and brooding, which is to say very much in line with the personality of the vintage. Empting responded to the natural power of the vintage by lowering temperatures and doing fewer pumpovers in order to not overextract. The 2012s are much more lifted, sensual and open-knit. Perhaps more importantly, they are among the best wines of the vintage.
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2012
2016 - 2027
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Harlan Estate fans have a number of fabulous wines to look forward to. The 2011s offer tons of near and medium-term appeal, while the 2012s are more typical of the house style and are also likely to offer wide windows of pure pleasure. As always, Harlan Estate blends and bottles later than most Napa Valley estates, so I was not able to taste the 2013s. According to the winemaking team of Bob Levy and Cory Empting the key to 2011 was dropping a significant amount of crop, which was the only way to achieve reasonable levels of ripeness given the cool, rainy conditions that characterized most of the growing season. The 2011s at Harlan Estate are standouts; that much is obvious. The 2012s are a perfect example of the gradual evolution that has taken place at Harlan Estate. A decade ago, these would have been significantly darker, richer, riper wines, but the 2012s are all about finesse. One of the recent developments at Harlan Estate has been a reduction in the use of irrigation, which can cause rapid and excessive accumulation of sugars. It may seem hard to believe, but Harlan Estate appears to be still climbing up the ladder of quality. These wines are magnificent. It's as simple as that.
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2011
2015 - 2026
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Harlan Estate fans have a number of fabulous wines to look forward to. The 2011s offer tons of near and medium-term appeal, while the 2012s are more typical of the house style and are also likely to offer wide windows of pure pleasure. As always, Harlan Estate blends and bottles later than most Napa Valley estates, so I was not able to taste the 2013s. According to the winemaking team of Bob Levy and Cory Empting the key to 2011 was dropping a significant amount of crop, which was the only way to achieve reasonable levels of ripeness given the cool, rainy conditions that characterized most of the growing season. The 2011s at Harlan Estate are standouts; that much is obvious. The 2012s are a perfect example of the gradual evolution that has taken place at Harlan Estate. A decade ago, these would have been significantly darker, richer, riper wines, but the 2012s are all about finesse. One of the recent developments at Harlan Estate has been a reduction in the use of irrigation, which can cause rapid and excessive accumulation of sugars. It may seem hard to believe, but Harlan Estate appears to be still climbing up the ladder of quality. These wines are magnificent. It's as simple as that.
00
2011
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A few days after my annual tasting of the Harlan Estate and Bond wines, I sampled recent vintages of Bill Harlan's exciting new Promontory venture, from a large and remarkably complex property just a couple miles south of Harlan Estate in the western hills of Napa Valley.It was impossible not to wonder how these two wines will compare to each other 20 years down the road.Harlan's original intent with Harlan Estate was to create a Napa Valley first growth, and he clearly believes that the Promontory site is at least as distinctive a terroir.Indeed, although there are many Harlan Estate wanabees elsewhere in the Valley, top competition for this original flagship wine will continue to come from Harlan's own ventures, Promontory and Bond.
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2011
2016 - 2026
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Harlan Estate was one of the highlights of my recent trip to Napa Valley. The new and upcoming releases are simply stunning. The 2010s are even better than they were from barrel. There is a level of inner tension and vibrancy in the 2010s that elevates them into stratosphere. The 2011s are among the best wines of that challenging harvest. My sense is that today the wines are made in a slightly more restrained style than in previous years. Let's be clear, the best wines of the 1990s are still superb, as recent bottles of the 1992 and 1994 prove. Still, I find more energy than in the past. I am not sure if that is attributable to changes in picking dates, older vines, less irrigation or gentler handling in the cellar, but I suspect it is the result of those and other factors. No matter, Bill Harlan's 2010s are superb and the 2011s aren't that far behind. This is a great showing from the entire Harlan team, but the winemaking team headed by Bill Levy and Cory Empting in particular.
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2010
2014 - 2025
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Harlan Estate was one of the highlights of my recent trip to Napa Valley. The new and upcoming releases are simply stunning. The 2010s are even better than they were from barrel. There is a level of inner tension and vibrancy in the 2010s that elevates them into stratosphere. The 2011s are among the best wines of that challenging harvest. My sense is that today the wines are made in a slightly more restrained style than in previous years. Let's be clear, the best wines of the 1990s are still superb, as recent bottles of the 1992 and 1994 prove. Still, I find more energy than in the past. I am not sure if that is attributable to changes in picking dates, older vines, less irrigation or gentler handling in the cellar, but I suspect it is the result of those and other factors. No matter, Bill Harlan's 2010s are superb and the 2011s aren't that far behind. This is a great showing from the entire Harlan team, but the winemaking team headed by Bill Levy and Cory Empting in particular.
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2010
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"Vintages 2011 and 2010 shared virtually the same heat accumulation signature," noted winemaker Cory Empting, "but produced totally different styles of wine.Crop levels in both vintages were reduced by flatter during flowering."As preliminary blends had been made for the 2011s, I was able to get an early look at both the Harlan and Bond wines from this tricky vintage, and they look to be among the highlights of the year.The pHs in 2011 are actually a bit higher than those of the 2010s, according to Empting.But the remarkably fine-grained tannins shown by the 2010s put them in another class--at least in the early going.
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2009
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Even at 95 points, I may have underrated the 2008 Harlan Estate flagship wine last year. On my most recent visit, this densely packed, youthfully imploded wine expanded spectacularly with a bit of aeration, showing an element of energy that's usually missing in Napa Valley cabernet of this scale (I scored it 96). And it manages to avoid the exotic sweetness shown by so many 2008 cabernets. The winery's 2009, with higher-pitched aromatics and more minerality, shows suaver tannins and more refinement, and is even more complete. Winemaker Cory Empting compared the young 2009s (and he was speaking of Bill Harlan's Bond wines as well) as "like the 2005s but with more flavor maturity."
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2009
2014 - 2024
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Vintages 2008 and 2009 are totally different in character at Harlan Estate. In 2008 the two wines are also quite different stylistically, while in 2009 the wines are much more closely linked. The 2010s I tasted from barrel were all raciness and pure excitement. Readers may want to take a look at my video interview with Bill Harlan in which Harlan discusses Promontory, his newest project.
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2008
2013 - 2023
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Vintages 2008 and 2009 are totally different in character at Harlan Estate. In 2008 the two wines are also quite different stylistically, while in 2009 the wines are much more closely linked. The 2010s I tasted from barrel were all raciness and pure excitement. Readers may want to take a look at my video interview with Bill Harlan in which Harlan discusses Promontory, his newest project.
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2008
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As in past years, I tasted both the Harlan Estate and Bond wines at the Bond winery in the western hills of Oakville. Winemaker Cory Empting noted that the 2008s are a bit like the 2005s. "The pHs are normal in 2008, but the acids are a bit higher than average," he explained. I also had the opportunity to retaste the 2007s, which had been bottled just before I sampled them a year ago (Issue 150). My scores for the two Harlan Estate wines were unchanged (although I added a +? to the flagship bottling, as this painfully intense wine is still an infant), but I rated all of the Bond wines a point higher this time--and two points for the Pluribus: Melbury (95), Quella (94+?), St. Eden (95), Vecina (96) and Pluribus (95+?).
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2007
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2006
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2006
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"There was vigorous vine growth early in the 2005 season," said winemaker Bob Levy, "and the berry size was larger than average. Ultimately, production was 10% to 15% higher than in 2006. Still, the wines in 2006 required much more work to get broadness in the middle palate." By now, the superlative quality of this estate's grand vin has ceased to amaze me. Perhaps even more remarkable is the consistently high quality of The Maiden, which once tasted like the second wine it is but now can hold its own against some pretty serious flagship cabernet blends of the Napa Valley.
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2005
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"There was vigorous vine growth early in the 2005 season," said winemaker Bob Levy, "and the berry size was larger than average. Ultimately, production was 10% to 15% higher than in 2006. Still, the wines in 2006 required much more work to get broadness in the middle palate." By now, the superlative quality of this estate's grand vin has ceased to amaze me. Perhaps even more remarkable is the consistently high quality of The Maiden, which once tasted like the second wine it is but now can hold its own against some pretty serious flagship cabernet blends of the Napa Valley.
00
2005
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Winemaker Bob Levy describes 2005 as a cooler, longer growing season that produced bigger yields. Because he was afraid of making wines that lacked concentration, he did a lot of saignee. "This was possible because we had outstanding quality of tannins," he explained, "and the saignee did not throw the wines off balance. In 2005, we were lucky to have had tannin maturity before sugar maturity." My early tasting of the Harlan Estate 2005, as well as of the Bond wines made by the same team of Bill Harlan, Levy and enologist Michel Rolland, suggests that this vintage will offer a rare combination of density and verve. A word of advice for long-time Harlan Estate collectors: Levy noted that these wines virtually always go through a sullen stage six to eight years after the vintage and recommends drinking them before or after this awkward period.
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2004
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Winemaker Bob Levy describes 2005 as a cooler, longer growing season that produced bigger yields. Because he was afraid of making wines that lacked concentration, he did a lot of saignee. "This was possible because we had outstanding quality of tannins," he explained, "and the saignee did not throw the wines off balance. In 2005, we were lucky to have had tannin maturity before sugar maturity." My early tasting of the Harlan Estate 2005, as well as of the Bond wines made by the same team of Bill Harlan, Levy and enologist Michel Rolland, suggests that this vintage will offer a rare combination of density and verve. A word of advice for long-time Harlan Estate collectors: Levy noted that these wines virtually always go through a sullen stage six to eight years after the vintage and recommends drinking them before or after this awkward period.
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2003
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My March visit to Harlan Estate, where I also see the ever-expanding line-up of Bond wines-which come from the same team of Bill Harlan, winemaker Bob Levy and enologist Michel Rolland-is consistently one of the highlights of my tasting year. On my latest visit, Levy compared the Harlan Estate 2001 to the 1994 ("classic") and the 2002 to the 1995 ("fleshier, more forward"). The 2002 is indeed a monumental wine, and the new 2004 looks to be in a similar style.
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2003
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Low cluster weights resulted in tiny yields and extraordinary concentration at Harlan Estate in 2002 and again in 2003.According to winemaker Bob Levy, the cabernet clusters weighed, on average, less than three ounces in 2002, and the ultimate yield here was less than a ton of fruit per acre.The result is one of the most extraordinary young California cabernets I have ever tasted.
00
2002
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Low cluster weights resulted in tiny yields and extraordinary concentration at Harlan Estate in 2002 and again in 2003.According to winemaker Bob Levy, the cabernet clusters weighed, on average, less than three ounces in 2002, and the ultimate yield here was less than a ton of fruit per acre.The result is one of the most extraordinary young California cabernets I have ever tasted.
00
2002
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I find it ironic that at a time when so many California wineries seem to be trying to imitate the 1997 Harlan Estate bottling, the sophisticated winemaking team at Harlan Estate now views this extremely rich, port-like wine as the extreme example among its extraordinary range of vintages. Current vintages at this elite hillside property above Oakville are as rich and deep as ever, but manage, uncannily, to retain inner-mouth vibrancy. The 2002 vintage was not hotter than 2001," said winemaker Bob Levy, "but the wine is riper, with even greater sweetness."Don't miss my notes on the Bond wines, also from Bill Harlan and the same winemaking team of Bob Levy and superconsultant Michel Rolland, later in this issue.
00
2001
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I find it ironic that at a time when so many California wineries seem to be trying to imitate the 1997 Harlan Estate bottling, the sophisticated winemaking team at Harlan Estate now views this extremely rich, port-like wine as the extreme example among its extraordinary range of vintages. Current vintages at this elite hillside property above Oakville are as rich and deep as ever, but manage, uncannily, to retain inner-mouth vibrancy. The 2002 vintage was not hotter than 2001," said winemaker Bob Levy, "but the wine is riper, with even greater sweetness."Don't miss my notes on the Bond wines, also from Bill Harlan and the same winemaking team of Bob Levy and superconsultant Michel Rolland, later in this issue.
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2001
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On my annual visit to Harlan Estate, I was struck by the way this producer's flagship wine tracked vintages 1999, 2000 and 2001 in style: the 1999 showing great verve and a tightly coiled structure; the 2000 very suave but smaller-scaled than '99 or '01; and the 2001 a wine of monumental richness and sweetness of fruit without going over the top. Not surprisingly, all three wines are among California's elite examples from their respective vintages.
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2000
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On my annual visit to Harlan Estate, I was struck by the way this producer's flagship wine tracked vintages 1999, 2000 and 2001 in style: the 1999 showing great verve and a tightly coiled structure; the 2000 very suave but smaller-scaled than '99 or '01; and the 2001 a wine of monumental richness and sweetness of fruit without going over the top. Not surprisingly, all three wines are among California's elite examples from their respective vintages.
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2000
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The key to the success of this estate may be owner Bill Harlan's unhurried approach to making great wine. Although the Harlan Estate red wine appeared to some to have been an overnight sensation when the first vintage (1990) was released back in 1996, Harlan and his team had already vinified nine or ten crops from his hillside site above Oakville. And the core team of Harlan, winemaker Bob Levy, vineyard manager Jerry Schlink and director Don Weaver had been together since 1985 (Michel Rolland has consulted here since 1989). Harlan Estate's newest project, involving a half-dozen hillside vineyards stretching from Oakville to St. Helena, actually dates back to the early '90s. As of this March, Harlan planned to release one or more vintages of wine from at least two of these properties in 2003, using proprietary names to give him the flexibility to include a small percentage of fruit from outside the core vineyard if it will result in an even better wine.
00
1999
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The key to the success of this estate may be owner Bill Harlan's unhurried approach to making great wine. Although the Harlan Estate red wine appeared to some to have been an overnight sensation when the first vintage (1990) was released back in 1996, Harlan and his team had already vinified nine or ten crops from his hillside site above Oakville. And the core team of Harlan, winemaker Bob Levy, vineyard manager Jerry Schlink and director Don Weaver had been together since 1985 (Michel Rolland has consulted here since 1989). Harlan Estate's newest project, involving a half-dozen hillside vineyards stretching from Oakville to St. Helena, actually dates back to the early '90s. As of this March, Harlan planned to release one or more vintages of wine from at least two of these properties in 2003, using proprietary names to give him the flexibility to include a small percentage of fruit from outside the core vineyard if it will result in an even better wine.
00
1999
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The best estates are willing to take draconian measures in difficult years in order to make wines up to their standards, and Harlan Estate was ruthless in 1998. In a typical year, this estate shoots for a yield of just two tons per acre. But when the 1998 veraison took place between September 7 and 10, or 30 to 40 days later than average, the team eliminated one of two clusters per shoot (a $1.5 million decision, notes Harlan), ultimately bringing in just 0.9 tons per acre in a harvest that lasted until November 11 (there was a major rainstorm the next day). Still, notes winemaker Bob Levy, the berry seeds were not completely ripe, and the wine thus spent "only" 25 days on its skins, as he did not want to extract green tannins (in contrast, maceration lasted 45 days in '97). "We didn't get great concentration by our standards, but we were able to make a ripe wine without green character," he added. There will be just 1,000 cases of wine, less than half of normal production. The '99 harvest also ended in early November, but the flowering was two weeks earlier than in the previous year, and the fruit enjoyed longer hang time and more thorough ripening.
00
1998
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The best estates are willing to take draconian measures in difficult years in order to make wines up to their standards, and Harlan Estate was ruthless in 1998. In a typical year, this estate shoots for a yield of just two tons per acre. But when the 1998 veraison took place between September 7 and 10, or 30 to 40 days later than average, the team eliminated one of two clusters per shoot (a $1.5 million decision, notes Harlan), ultimately bringing in just 0.9 tons per acre in a harvest that lasted until November 11 (there was a major rainstorm the next day). Still, notes winemaker Bob Levy, the berry seeds were not completely ripe, and the wine thus spent "only" 25 days on its skins, as he did not want to extract green tannins (in contrast, maceration lasted 45 days in '97). "We didn't get great concentration by our standards, but we were able to make a ripe wine without green character," he added. There will be just 1,000 cases of wine, less than half of normal production. The '99 harvest also ended in early November, but the flowering was two weeks earlier than in the previous year, and the fruit enjoyed longer hang time and more thorough ripening.
00
1998
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The '98s now aging in barrel at Harlan Estate make it clear that a topnotch viticultural and winemaking team can triumph over virtually any conditions, especially when they are working in one of California's elite sites. Crop yields were ruthlessly reduced to one cluster per shoot at veraison in an attempt to get further concentration. Even so, said winemaker Bob Levy, the ultimate ripeness of fruit was a bit uneven. The estate delayed the start of the harvest until the third week of October and finished picking merlot on November 11, benefitting from a clement Indian summer. Still, Levy admitted, the shorter days and cooler nights during the key ripening period meant that even though tannins were ripe, the seeds weren't yet dark brown and thus could not support a long maceration. So the wines remained on their skins for only 25 days, compared to as many as 60 in '97. Ultimately, there will be just 1,200 cases of their flagship wine, down from 2,000 in '97. There are now 36 acres under vine on this 230-acre estate following additional planting in 1999.
00
1997
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- By Author Name on Month Date, Year
The '98s now aging in barrel at Harlan Estate make it clear that a topnotch viticultural and winemaking team can triumph over virtually any conditions, especially when they are working in one of California's elite sites. Crop yields were ruthlessly reduced to one cluster per shoot at veraison in an attempt to get further concentration. Even so, said winemaker Bob Levy, the ultimate ripeness of fruit was a bit uneven. The estate delayed the start of the harvest until the third week of October and finished picking merlot on November 11, benefitting from a clement Indian summer. Still, Levy admitted, the shorter days and cooler nights during the key ripening period meant that even though tannins were ripe, the seeds weren't yet dark brown and thus could not support a long maceration. So the wines remained on their skins for only 25 days, compared to as many as 60 in '97. Ultimately, there will be just 1,200 cases of their flagship wine, down from 2,000 in '97. There are now 36 acres under vine on this 230-acre estate following additional planting in 1999.
00
1995
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The mix of vines at Harlan Estate is now about 70% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot and 10% cabernet franc and petit verdot-or roughly the same as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. Indeed, owner Bill Harlan goal from the outset was to produce a first-growth wine in California. What may appear to many to be an overnight sensation was a long time in the making: Harlan spent a full decade finding and acquiring the right site (a steep vineyard on the western side of Napa Valley, above Oakville), and literally vinified nine vintages before releasing his first wine (the '90 and '91 were released simultaneously in early 1996). Winemaker Bob Levy, with Michel Rolland consulting, has taken the Harlan Estate wine to a new level since the '94 vintage. The young '97 ranks among the greatest young California red wines I've tasted to date from barrel. At just under three tons per acre, crop levels were high for this estate but modest by the standards of the vintage. The fruit was very ripe, and the wine will ultimately be bottled with about 14.5% alcohol and lower acidity than the '94.
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