2020 Harlan Estate

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.

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.