Founded in 1984, Harlan Estate is one of the most sought-after wineries in Napa Valley that crafts what are known as California’s “First Growth” wines.
It is located in the western hills of Oakville. The 240-acre estate sits atop the fabled Oakville benchlands, overlooking the famed Martha’s vineyards – credited for producing some of Napa’s best Cabernet.
The terroir of these terraced vineyards is a mix of different soils and topography. The multiple elevations ranging from 225 feet to 1,225 feet provide perfect drainage, helping the grapes grow slowly and ripen evenly.
The winemaking process at Harlan is under the supervision of winemaker Bob Levy and winemaker Cory Empting.
100 Points Jeb Dunnuck
The quality of the 2016 Proprietary Red Wine shouldn’t surprise anyone. This estate rarely misses a beat, and in a great vintage like 2016, they’ve made a perfect wine. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as extraordinary notes of crème de cassis, blackcurrants, herbes de Provence, tobacco, graphite, and a who knows what else, this beauty hits the palate with a deep, powerful, full-bodied style that has enough structure to warrant a decade of cellaring. The purity is off the charts, it builds incrementally on the palate, and has a finish that won’t quit.
100 Points James Suckling
This is so tight and vibrant with a huge amount of detail and precision, coupled with density and brightness, superb length and class. The tannins are horizontal and so polished. The most refined, harmonious and focused Harlan ever? Subtle strength in this wine.
100 Points Wine Advocate
The deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Harlan Estate comes charging out of the glass, brandishing bold, opulent blackberry pie, warm cassis and blueberry preserves notes with hints of cigar box, Indian spices, crushed rocks and forest floor plus fragrant accents of lavender and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with a solid line of super ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the layer upon layer of savory and earth-inspired notions, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Impressively structured, incredibly nuanced and possessing all this latent tension, this brazen beauty is set to live for a good 60 years and possibly more!
100 Points Decanter
By all accounts, a spectacular and near-perfect vintage for Napa Valley. A wet, rainy winter marked the end of drought conditions, and the growing season was moderate, with plenty of warmth but no massive heat spikes. The 2016 Harlan estate is absolutely beautiful, with expressive aromatics of pure black fruit, crunchy red fruit, gorgeous cedar and sandalwood, and tobacco. Full-bodied, rich, with super fine-grained tannins that are compact, mirrored by the wine’s tight-knit, coiled-up energy, impressive tension, and remarkable delineation of flavours, aromas, and textures. One that is going to shine for decades and decades to come.