Community Tasting Notes 139

• dream Likes this wine: 97 points

  March 14, 2024 - From a magnum purchased from the mailing list on release and cellared perfectly since. Double-decanted for 4 hours and best after an hour in the glass. The texture is so ethereal and silky-fine with a flavor profile reminiscent of a top Pauillac with subdued blackberry fruit and a distinct lead pencil note. There is also a touch of eucalyptus on the finish which shows smooth and refined tannins and a building complexity on the tongue. Very impressive and still with many years of life at least in magnum form. This was a big wine in its youth but its aged gracefully helped by less alcohol (14%) than future vintages. An absolutely beautiful bottle of wine.

  Comment

• David Harper Likes this wine: 100 points

  August 5, 2023 - Opened by an old friend along with 94 Haut Brion, 94 Bryant Family, and 94 Dominus. Won the night. Everything you could hope for in a mature California wine. The others were exceptional as well. My wife said “ why don’t we have some of these?” An expensive request, but if you are going big go here. I saved the bottle for my cellar which I rarely do.

  Comment

• aSimpleGuy Likes this wine: 100 points

  June 4, 2023 - Did a vertical tasting of 1994, 1996, 2001 and 2004. This was definitely WOTN - still young, decanting needed. Earthy, funky, plum, dark berries, long lasting. Still many years strong!

  Comment

• galewskj wrote: 97 points

  April 16, 2023 - Open that bottle - Dan chooses 1994 Harlan (My house): Splash decant and back into the bottle to be served a few hours later. Drank about 1/3rd of the bottle over 2 hours. This had a Harlan profile, with even more structure and less fruit-forward than later vintages. I can see how they changed stylistically to slightly more California. There is an intensity to the nose and palate, and it is very expressive. I have this qualitatively the same as 1996 Harlan (my benchmark), but for different reasons. The tertiary qualities of this wine are extraordinary, and enough fruit to back it up, but it it doesn't gush fruit like later vintages seem to.

  Comment

• I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 points

  April 13, 2023 - Open THAT Bottle - Special Edition (Joe's Bistro): Everyone who knows me knows I am a Harlan whore......simply the best for my palate! My previous benchmark wine was the 1996 Harlan, but this 1994 supplanted that! Not by a lot (but it is hard to improve on perfection!).
  
  OK....so when one member of our party said he was planning on opening a 1994 Harlan, I was like Pavlov's dog, just automatically started to salivate! I was extremely excited because (1) I had never had one and (2) my niece's birth year is 1994 and consequently I have had lots of 1994 wines from California, and have been impressed by all of them! My last 1996 Harlan seemed like it had lost a step, and I was slightly worried this would be even further behind. However, this wine proved there are still great bottles out there, so I am now chalking my 96 Harlan to bottle variation!
  
  OK....the nuts and bolts! Nose was very perfumed (think Margaux) with purple flowers, red and dark fruit, sweet tobacco leaf and new leather with a tinge of spice. Palate was awesome with a typical Harlan silky mouthfeel, and exuding pure elegance on the tongue with dark fruit, think creme de cassis, intertwined with juicy plum, some earthy notes, some old leather and lots of sweet tobacco. Finish was long and elegant and slightly creamy, which I enjoyed immensely. 98+ (my highest score for a red wine) and a new benchmark for me! Wish I had a few of these in my cellar! Thanks Dan!

  1 person found this helpful Comments (2)

Pro Reviews 14

Wine Definition

• Vintage 1994
• 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 15 (1%)
• In Cellars 1,580 (65%)
• Consumed 842 (35%)

Food Pairing

Who Likes This Wine

More About This Wine