Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

1982 vintage. Last had on 3.1.23 from a magnum (9.4). Top shoulder fill and 100% saturated cork. Subtle nose. Not decanted. Tasted after one hour and two hours open. Color more vibrant than expected. Lean and Beychevelle thin as always. Dusty. Earthy. A modicum of plummy/kirsch flavors. Fading sense of harmony and descending from the top of the bell curve at an alarming rate. If ya got ‘em, drink ‘em. In maggie or even larger format, it wouldn’t be improving so hit in the next handful of years. 11.01.24. — 7 days ago

Pablo

9.1

Really tasty — 2 years ago

Aaron Rankin

9.7

This killed it. Perfect harmony of the lacy, aromatic Northern Rhone nose with the classiest massive Cali presentation of Syrah fruit. — 2 years ago

Randy Fillingim

9.1

Testing quite nice after 17 years. This 2007 vintage from this noted California cab producer was quite impressive. The harmony between tannins and fruits still very much evident. I might even guess that it may have a few more years on it. Nice treat. The last of my Mercury Head. Sigh….. — 6 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2017 vintage. Decanted and tasted for the next 5 minutes-2.5 hours. Medium body. Expressive oak and spice wizardry early on with sharp and clearly defined flavors all in a row. After approx 45 mins, the sharpness started to wane a tad and the harmony began to roll in. Good intensity throughout. Coming across this at least a half decade too early but this is built for the long haul vs short-term gratification. 2.10.24. — 9 months ago

Rachel Maxfield

9.0

Aged well. Subtle complexities and well balanced. Would drink again. — 2 years ago

Selfvingster

9.4

I received a bottle of Rockford as a 40th birthday gift, a wine I wasn’t familiar with at the time. After five years of aging, I opened it in the company of good friends – and what an experience! A rich and well-balanced wine, with intense flavors of berries and plums that really impressed. Wow, a wine that captivates with its harmony and depth. — 19 days ago

with Henrik, Gus and 1 other

Greg Koslosky

9.7

The perfect harmony of components . Lovely bottle drink before the 2008. — 2 years ago

Brian S

9.2

String showing with this bottle, red fruit, dust and slight blood. — 2 years ago

Kellin

9.8

Today was not a day I will soon forget. Getting to walk through Harlan Estate with the legendary Don Weaver is truly a highlight of my career (and life!). A kinder and more hospitable man does not exist, I’m sure of it.

To top off Don’s hospitality was having the 2017 and 2020 Vintages side-by-side. In a word: breathtaking. Both vintages are very emotional due to tremendous pressures felt from fires, the pandemic, and other factors. You can almost taste that tension in the wine. But the Masterful wine growers and wine makers at Harlan Estate were able to find harmony and balance with some help from Mother Nature with both vintages.

The 2017, having had some time in the bottle expresses more floral and aromatic notes of leather and asphalt. The pallet it is expressive, structured, and broad shouldered with herbaceous bay leaf and dark cherry flavors that find their way into parts of your pallet reserved just for things that taste so good you get chills. Undoubtedly a wine that will age gracefully over time.

The 2020, by contrast, was tasted out of the barrel. It already shows a tannin profile that is a hallmark of Harlan Estate; I can’t wait to drink it once it’s been in bottle for a few years; drink it to remember 2020, drink it to forget 2020? Either way, it will be representative of the special place that is Harlan Estate.

Grateful, grateful, grateful. — 3 years ago