2020 The Maiden

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.