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Manage SubscriptionsCommunity Tasting Notes 74
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Mdog Likes this wine: 95 points
January 19, 2023 - Only had time to slow ox for 2 hrs and honestly this wine is huge and could have used 6hrs and or a decant
Awesome on initial opening then got tight for a bit and opened back
If you are lucky enough to have this in your cellar, it will be good for a few more years. -
BaroloRob wrote: 94 points
May 16, 2022 - Fully mature and well balanced. Went great with lamb. Would have guessed bordeaux if I had tasted it blind. Interesting to see the evolution of these cult Cali cabs.
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Cailles wrote: 92 points
March 11, 2022 - 6 Vintages of Harlan (1995-2018): Some conclusions: 1) The highlight in all Harlan wines and what sets the wine apart from many other high-end Napa wines is the elegance and absolute weightless texture and feel, with the finest tannins and an incredible balance. This became obvious in all vintages. 2) What is a big advantage in young wines, might become a disadvantage with a lot of age. The question I always ask myself with this wine (similar to some right bank Merlots in Bordeaux): is there is enough structure and tension to age gracefully for 30, 40 years? I'm not convinced and the data point added in this tasting (1995, 2005) didn't show as much structure as I hope to have at that age in my Cabs. 3) Gun to my head, I say the ideal drinking window for Harlan is rather 5 to 15 years after the vintage and not 20-40 years. 4) The 2018 vintage is spectacular with an incredibly complex profile but will need a few years to flesh out.
TN: A touch of warmth and quite reductive at first on the nose. With time a bit better but never really hitting all the marks. From the palate through the medium long finish, the wine displays fine red fruit, some ripe dark berries, slightly distracting tomato leaf notes, other herbs and some crushed rocks. I don't particularly like the flavor profile but the precision is on a very good level. The structure is again the highlight with ultra-fine tannins, a high but well interwoven acidity, a slightly creamy texture and weightless feel. This is overall pleasant wine but it's not close to the more structured, more Bordeaux like Dominus 1995, which is my benchmark for this vintage in Napa Valley. 91/92 pts.
Decanting: A bit of decanting (1h+?) is advised as this got cleaner and better by the minute. -
fcxj wrote: 94 points
August 20, 2021 - From magnum. Silky palate, quite complete. Guess could be California, has the sweetness.
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dream Likes this wine: 94 points
May 25, 2021 - Drinking very well out of magnum tonight and it really evolved after being open for 2+ hours. Quite concentrated with rich bluish/black fruit along with complex notes of cassis, ripe berries and eucalyptus. At a very nice middle ground now as it's fully integrated and just beginning to show some mature flavors of violet spice and sweet Napa earth. A great showing tonight.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Pro Reviews 7
Add a Pro ReviewJancisRobinson.com
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By Elaine Chukan Brown
3/11/2020 (link)(Harlan Estate Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text.
The World of Fine Wine
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December 2014, Issue #46 (link)
(Harlan Estate) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
3/11/2005 (link)(Harlan Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
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By Stephen Tanzer
May/June 1999, IWC Issue #84 (link)(Harlan Estate Red Wine Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text.
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By Stephen Tanzer
May/June 1998, IWC Issue #78 (link)(Harlan Estate Red Wine Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text.
Decanter
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By William Kelley
Harlan Estate Vertical (link)(Harlan Estate, Napa Valley, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text.
RJonWine.com
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By Richard Jennings
5/1/2008 (link) 94 points(Harlan Estate) Lifted caramel oak and cassis, berry and boysenberry nose; cassis, berry, youthful and very tight palate, should be great in another 10 years; medium-plus finish (WOTF for 13 people, up against '95 Abreu and Araujo)
Wine Definition
- Vintage 1995
- Type Red
- Producer Harlan Estate
- Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
- Designation n/a
- Vineyard n/a
- Country USA
- Region California
- SubRegion Napa Valley
- Appellation Napa Valley
- UPC Codes 1000000000236, 1000000000239
Community Holdings
- Pending Delivery 7 (0%)
- In Cellars 1,036 (64%)
- Consumed 581 (36%)
Food Pairing
Community Recommendations
rack of lambWho Likes This Wine
More About This Wine
Articles
- ProducerHarlan Estate
- VarietyRed Bordeaux Blend
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionNapa Valley
- AppellationNapa Valley
Add Articles
- Wine1995 Harlan Estate (add)
- FamilyHarlan Estate (add)
- ProducerHarlan Estate
- VarietalRed Bordeaux Blend
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionNapa Valley
- AppellationNapa Valley