Californian “First Growth” from the Hills of Oakville
“If we can enrich people’s lives, and just maybe inspire them to do something beyond what they might otherwise have done, that brings us great satisfaction. Our purpose is to help our patrons to have an even more enjoyable and healthy life.” – H. William Harlan
The Estate
Founded in 1984, Harlan Estate is a winegrowing estate in the western hills of Oakville, California – in the heart of the Napa Valley. Consisting of 240 acres of natural splendor set above the fabled Oakville benchlands, the estate is built upon the transition zone between the wild terrain of the forest and the open plain of the valley. Much of the character of the wine comes from the fact that the vineyards are carved from-and next to-these wild lands, this forest, and these woodlands.
The Vineyard
Forty acres under vine, planted to cabernet sauvignon (70%), merlot (20%), cabernet franc (8%), and petit verdot (2%). All hillside siting, on both volcanic and sedimentary bedrock; a combination of terraced vineyards and closely spaced vines on spare soils over fractured rock; vertical trellis with shoot positioning, 360º of exposition.
The Wine
“These wines possess all the elements of greatness – individuality, power combined with elegance, extraordinary complexity, remarkable aging potential, and compelling richness without ponderousness.” – Robert M. Parker, Jr.
2019 Harlan Estate
“The head-spinning 2019 Harlan Estate is truly amazing stuff. Gentle cedar notes lead into layered dark chocolate and cassis, somehow impossibly rich yet savory. Full-bodied, concentrated and supple, this is dense, packed with flavor but seemingly weightless, with a lush, lingering finish that combines intensity with freshness to compel sip after sip. Like all truly great wines, it’s full of somehow harmonious contradictions.”– Robert Parker 100 Points
Bill Harlan founded Harlan Estates in 1984 in Oakville, Napa Valley, and has made an international name for himself with high-quality red wine from classic Bordeaux varieties. Today, in addition to Harlan Estate, the company includes the Bond, Meadowood, The Mascot, Promontory and The Napa Valley Reserve wineries. Harlan cultivates 16 hectares plus Bond with 18 hectares and Promontory with 32 hectares. The total annual production is around 7,000 cases. The company exports to more than 50 countries. The key markets outside the USA are the UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and Japan. The wines achieve top prices.